


Assession

by kiyarasabel



Series: Transitory [2]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Hux is a (Space) Racist, Kylo Ren is Not Matt the Radar Technician, M/M, Mpreg, Multi, Trans Pregnancy, bad guys doing the right things for the wrong reasons, hello naughty murderers it's children time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-01-28 10:14:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 23,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12604308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyarasabel/pseuds/kiyarasabel
Summary: Kylo Ren seeks to finish things with his Master Snoke, and Hux has to find a new purpose for his life removed from the First Order.Disclaimer: My depictions of Star Wars politics do not necessarily reflect my own beliefs.EDIT: Since it seems that I was unclear: I AM LITERALLY AN ANTI-FASCIST ANARCHIST.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday to me, I'm already crossfaded and doing my best to enjoy three decades of life.
> 
> Sorry not sorry, but y'all will have to deal with my obnoxious fursona/oc from here on out, though technically this Captain Kiyara Skyfall is the great great granddaughter of the character I played in a ttrpg with my friends http://kiyarasabel.tumblr.com/post/137085965919/

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Facing consequences aren't easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Abortion threat because of course Hux immediately goes there.

“I should have had an abortion.” Hux spat with as much venom as he could muster. A brief glimmer of hope raced through him as he felt the sense of fear, hurt and anger which shook the Knight.

Kylo snarled and lashed out with his lightsaber, the hologram of Snoke dissolving in an explosion of sparks as the Knight destroyed the control box. Hux barely had time to process the sound of the door opening behind him when he felt himself Force tossed.

“You will take him to safety.” Kylo Ren demanded as two Resistance soldiers grabbed Hux’ arms. Hux felt the pressure of the command, Kylo Willing them with the Force as they repeated it. “I have unfinished business with my master.” He grumbled airily as he departed, refusing to spare another glance to Hux.

“Ren!” Hux screamed over his shoulder as the soldiers started marching him in the opposite direction as Kylo stormed off, imposing on his way to the bridge. “Gods damn it, Ren! What the fuck are you doing?! Answer me!” He was shaking, unable to break the hold of his captors as Ren turned a corner.

~

“Wait a minute, you're General Hux!” One of the soldiers finally noted as their shuttle approached the Resistance Armada.

“Is he pregnant?!” The second realized.

Hux considered the many dismissive barbs he could respond with, but kept his mouth shut, ruminating on the present ruin of his life. It was an uneasy feeling to consider that a part of him desperately wished that he had gone down with his ship. Especially when Ren made the announcement to surrender, Hux’ pride quivered with chagrin at the thought of his command falling into the hands of his enemies. That he was himself in the hands of his enemies did not sit well with him either. He'd assessed the situation and while he considered that he could conceivably overpower one of the soldiers, he was not entirely too confident to take such a risk with his child’s life on the line.

He noted almost idly that he was bound for the large freighter, now glowing with its systems online. As his involuntary protectors eagerly reported their prisoner to their superiors, Hux was able to ascertain that the majority of his crew would be detained upon that ship, alongside the cattle it had been hauling.

“So wait, if Kylo Ren was so protective of this guy... Do you think that it's his baby?” The first guard pieced together.

Hux did his best to cross his arms in front of him with shackles on and tried to burrow into his greatcoat, refusing to acknowledge his keepers. He was reluctant but cooperative as he was made to stand for boarding, marched to the freighter.

When the airlock opened to the ship, Hux found himself eye level with a pair of large pointed ears. He looked down at the furred humanoid, markings like smudged charcoal and ash, who regarded him with an almost passive interest.

“General Hux, huh? Welcome to the Discord, I'm Captain Skyfall, and you'll be under my care until we're planetside.” Shi spoke around a bone in hir mouth, a thatch of thick fur on hir neck decorated with small braids, twined with beads, feathers and thread wrapping that clicked together as shi moved. “Anyway, you're a guest of honor and you will be getting a touch of special treatment, so no need to look like you're about to pop.” Shi emphasized the sound by drawing the bone through hir lips like a sucker as shi glanced between his belly and incredibly red face.

“I'm only six months along.” Hux snorted, feeling almost petulant in the face of the unimpressed captain. It was nearly impossible for him to stand in any kind of dignified manner with his hands bound before him.

Shi raised an eyebrow. “Cubs are viable at three on my home planet. And some of the women have the biggest dicks so you don't need to do any of that posturing around me.” Shi led him to a small table in what was obviously the galley. “Tea?”

Hux glared, even as he sat, painfully aware of the guards standing at the doorway with blasters at the ready.

“Please, if I wanted you dead, you would never have stepped foot on this ship, I would have let you take a step out the airlock.” Shi poured two cups of a soft floral scent, taking hirs with a pleased sigh as shi inhaled the steam.

Hux reached out to enjoy the warmth against his hands, noting with reluctant respect that the still steaming kettle was just out of his reach. His new companion yawned and he had to admit that the gape of hir maw impressive, clearly capable of crushing a skull. As if shi heard the thought, she tossed the small bone shi’d been chewing into hir mouth and quickly pulverized it before sipping at hir tea.

Hux considered hir lethargy, wondered at hir evident exhaustion, when shi perked up at a beep from the data pad strapped to hir forearm. “So, I didn't bring you here just to make chit chat, I just wanted to give you a chance to cool down before official business is brought up. You are the highest ranking officer of the First Order in custody and my ship, although I am under contract to deliver cargo (not to mention a sizeable bonus for prisoner transport) for the Alliance fleet, is neutral ground. An official of their own is boarding to discuss the terms of your surrender as well as debrief.”

“I see.” Hux replied, sipping his own tea, again quietly impressed by the subtlety and forethought the mercenary had shown, indeed, he had been lulled into an easier state of calm from his prior fury. He regretted that he had sat facing away from the door as he heard the approach of the enemy officer, no doubt flanked by an entourage. He steeled his resolve not to turn his head and look, even as Skyfall stood with a grin.

It was difficult not to whip around when he heard the skin crawling howls of Shyriiwook exchanged in greeting between his captor and the presence of more beings behind him.

Skyfall switched to basic to continue hir greeting. “Hey, how are you holding up, I heard about Han, I suppose that it won't help if I say that I'm just glad that it wasn't my rathtars that got 'em?” Shi offered, opening hir arms for an embrace.

“If you hadn't heard, the rathtars might have been a kinder end.” There was no mistaking the woman who returned the being’s hug with a tired tone. She turned and sat, giving only an inclination of her head as she addressed him. “General Hux.”

“General Organa.” He replied in kind.

“So I'm beat, and I won't hang around for long, but my first mate will keep an official record of this meeting if there's anything the two of you want to say before we get started.” Skyfall explained as a chadra-fan with a notepad appeared at her side.

“I'm surprised that you were brought in alive, General. The destruction of an entire system is an unenviable level of infamy.” Leia noted primly.

“Kylo Ren himself delivered him to the Resistance, used the Force to compel them so he got here safely.” Skyfall explained. Hux glared, wondering how they were cognizant of that detail.

“And why would he have done that?” Leia asked with interest.

Skyfall and Leia both fixed Hux with a patient, knowing expression.

Hux huffed self-consciously. “I'm pregnant with his child.” He grumbled, looking down. He didn't miss how Leia covered her mouth, or the incredibly smug expression on Skyfall’s face.

“Is he well?” Leia asked after a long pause. “We know he left as soon as he ordered the surrender. Jumped to hyperspace before he could be tailed.”

“You would know better than I in that regard, he shoved me at your soldiers and fled.” Hux tried to keep the plaintive tone from his voice, but it had already been a very long day.

“Yikes, your mate abandoned you after turning you over to your enemies? That's harsh.” Skyfall commented unhelpfully.

Hux hated that he blushed. “He's not my mate. We were simply co-commanders, the child was an unexpected complication.”

“And without it you'd be dead right now.” Skyfall prodded.

“I would have taken out half this fleet with me.” He bristled.

“We had heard that First Order ships were meant to self destruct rather than surrender but this is the first confirmation that we've had.” Leia noted cooly.

Hux scowled, angry to have his shame dissected like this.

Leia seemed unimpressed. “Believe me, General, I would much rather be interviewing one of your more talkative subordinates, I imagine that we should both be keenly aware of the fact that the only reason that you're alive right now is because you're carrying my grandchild.”

To the credit of his training, Hux didn't even flinch. “I am fortunate to be alive I suppose.”

“How does it feel having wiped out worlds and left to using your own child as a human shield?” Leia provoked.

“How does it feel knowing that yours became a weapon opposed to everything you believed in?”

“Woah-hohoho, Please, Generals, let's not get personal here.” The alien interjected, standing quickly, the fur of hir mane prickling.

“I apologise, it has been a very trying time for me, as I am certain that it has been for General Hux.” Leia offered in conciliation. Hux bristled that she had both broached the conflict and resolved it with such polite civility. He was reluctantly impressed by her prowess.

“Very well, where should we start?” Itching for a cigarette, Hux sipped at his herbal tea in frustration.

“I still don't understand the reasoning for destroying the entirety of the Hosnian system simply to make a point.” Leia didn't even look at him, and were he a sentimental man, Hux might have felt pity for the deep personal sorrow evident in her face.

“That's right, Alderaan was your home.” Hux stated.

“I was surprised that the Order didn't attempt to ransom or pose an ultimatum, not that we could have trusted the word of terrorists.” Leia worded it as an observation, but it was a clear opening for a response.

“We had all that we needed. Power.” Hux sipped his tea, enjoying the righteous fury on the older woman's face. “And you would know far better than I about terrorism, General Organa.”

“I have only ever fought for the freedom of the people, rather than crushing the life from them.” She protested, color rising to her cheeks.

Hux snorted. “Don't give me that, we're both Generals, we send people to their deaths every day, sometimes it's even people we know.”

“The difference is that the people who fight for me choose to fight, they understand the stakes they're fighting, and yes, even dying for, you would kill untold innocents and call it collateral damage.” Leia fumed.

“Your point, General?” Hux allowed himself a tight smirk.

“You claim to oppose disorder, what do you suppose has happened now that you've eliminated the primary lifeline for the entire Galaxy?” She challenged more directly.

“An opening for the First Order to take charge and introduce proper organization.” Hux shrugged, trying to suppress the gnawing realization that he would no longer be at the forefront of such an effort.

“People are not made to live under indefinite Martial Law.” Leia sighed.

“I think that I turned out alright.” There was no doubt that Hux would not have become the man he was without the strict direction of his upbringing.

Leia stared, hard. “That is a matter of opinion.”

“You know that both of you are looking at it the wrong way.” Skyfall butt in. “You think that you're above everyone else and can decide what's best for them yourselves. Republics, Fascism, it's all the same when you put some people on top, you have to put down the people on the bottom so that the whole hierarchy doesn't tumble. You should let people figure out their own needs before telling them what they want. The Republic just gave out the same basic care package and expected everyone to follow the same approach. Honestly, the First Order wasn't much different except that they don't tolerate open dissent. Fair share of corruption and lies to both in my experience.”

“Captain Skyfall is an anarchist.” Leia explained drolly.

Hux nodded, feeling a strange sort of camaraderie with the princess in the face of the alien.

Skyfall rolled hir eyes. “Whatever, it's not like my people have been traditional mediators between warring factions for our entire history. You guys keep up with your civilized hostage taking and revenge killings.” Shi emptied hir mug and tossed it in the galley sink. “Intwing, just pull up a basic template of a surrender and let them quibble over the semantics, I'm going to bed.”

~

Kylo was troubled as the Silencer cut through hyperspace, trying to find a means of reconciling his losses. It seemed like his entire life had pivoted on choosing one side or another, and for the first time he was faced with the clear probability that he had chosen poorly, perhaps each time. That his most recent decision would cut ties with the only prior constant in his life was nothing short of terrifying. His only consolation was in the impression that for the first time he was not acting to escape negative feelings, but hoping to return to a life of positive emotions.

Hux was certainly furious and Ren expected that they would have quite a row when they finally reunited. He wasn't happy about surrendering his lover to his hated enemies, but he knew that it was the safest place to protect him from the clutches of Snoke.

Ren still had trouble thinking about his master, his mind racing to avoid the fact that he was soon to be faced with the ancient being. For so long he had struggled for that approval, to grow in power as he was promised, but now that he was a grown man, gifted with the perspective of hindsight, he was less sure that anything Snoke had done for him had actually increased his power.

He frowned. As much as Skywalker had restricted his ability, Snoke had done little more than to simply encourage Ren to do what had come to him naturally. Ren's power, it seemed, came from indulging himself. Following orders, attempting to control himself had gotten him nowhere, attempting to cut himself off from his attachments had only increased his need for them, and thusly Snoke had left him wanting for some time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't blame you if you leave as soon as getting your closure, but I feel like I have crafted a pretty compelling tale of these two growing into themselves in one another's absence and it's a definite achievement of some kind that I finally managed to write an entire fic that doesn't become pornographic (don't worry that'll come later)
> 
> Intwing is a deliberate reference to @Sathinfection's delightful paparazzo. In this world he got picked up doing frieghter record keeping.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux has to come to grips with being a prisoner, fortunately he has some allies.
> 
> Kylo goes looking for and finds some trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been a very trying weekend waiting to upload this, hopefully this chapter is pretty good on it's own even if for me it's just a delay until we get to my favorite parts.

“General.” 

“Captain Phasma.” Hux nodded as his guard escort closed the door behind them. 

Hux had been surprised to find the tall blonde woman waiting in what was to be his cell, but her level headed presence was an enormous relief. He was also rather pleased that he had been shown a measure of preferential treatment in respect of his rank. While the bulk of the prisoners on the ship were detained in converted livestock holding pens, he was being granted the small but habitable unit which could have been a crew berth, if Skyfall had employed more than the minimum staff.

“So my favorite sparring partner left you in the lurch, but don't worry, he made sure to give me the direct order to stay by your side.” Phasma offered.

“Did he? I was wondering how they'd managed to capture you.” Hux felt the ghost of a smirk tease about his mouth.

“So what is the plan, General? If I didn't know better I would swear that my co-commanders have decided to commit high treason.” Phasma stated this without judgement.

Hux ran a hand through his hair, not caring how it would be mussed. At least he'd been allowed to keep his uniform after a perfunctory search of his person. Phasma, along with the rest of the captured Stormtroopers had been divested of their armor and left in their black undersuits. He set out his coat on the lower bunk before sitting on it, removing his boots with a groan.

“I'm sure you know that we are not intended to surrender our ships to enemy forces. As the highest ranking officer it would have been my duty to initiate the self destruct function. For my failure, Snoke ordered that I perish with the Finalizer. Lord Ren did not agree. He was less than willing to accept his master's ultimatum and so here we are.” He rubbed his face with his hands. “I always knew it would come to this, in a way. The First Order was founded with the vow to avoid the same mistakes which destroyed the Empire and then someone made the decision to let Force Users take control of the entire organization again.”

“Well then, that is quite the conundrum, if we are, as it appears, behind enemy lines and burned by our organization.” Phasma stated blandly.

“My entire life has been devoted to the First Order, I still believe in its mission and I won't betray the cause simply because the enemy is taking pity on me for the unfortunate condition they find me in. However, as much as it galls me to admit, I doubt that there is any hope for us to return.” Hux lay on the bunk with a sigh, it was flat and not terribly comfortable, but he'd slept on worse. “I suppose that my remaining allegiance must belong to my crew detained with me.”

“Of course, Sir. I will ask our guard for information about the other prisoners on your behalf.”

“Thank you, Captain.” Hux wasn't certain of the actual hour, but between the day's many activities, the strain upon his body required that he rest.

~

Kylo wasn't certain what he should have expected when landing the Silencer upon the moon which hosted Snoke's citadel, but it was unnervingly empty. He was not surprised that Snoke had moved on. It had never been beyond his awareness that his sheer power exceeded his Master's, merely he was plagued by his lack of control. He was intending to further explore the abandoned base in hopes of discovering clues or direction, when two of his Knights emerged from the cloister.

“The Supreme Leader said that you have faltered in His service, Master.” The first spoke almost casually.

“We heard that you surrendered the Finalizer to the Resistance.” The second continued.

“I did.” He didn't bother to defend himself. He knew that he could defeat the two of them in combat, he was certain that they knew, and no doubt that Snoke knew, so the fact that they were talking made him far more wary than if they had charged him.

“You will be forgiven your momentary disobedience if you follow through with Supreme Leader’s last orders for you, and return here with the defector General Hux’ head.”

Ren cocked his head thoughtfully. “Or?”

The Knights simply spread their robes to reveal explosives. “These are merely the primary detonators, the entire planetoid is primed to destruct in the event of your continued disobedience.”

Kylo fought to keep his breathing even as he felt sweat drip down his face. He could leave, and keep running, but it would not take long before more forces were sent after him. Even if he had wanted to follow through on the morbid task assigned to him, it was a blatantly intended suicide mission. That or it was expected that he would simply retreat and rejoin his family, as if Snoke hadn't already seen to it that he would never be welcomed back. True, he would have to go to retrieve Hux at some point, but it would be only after the Resistance had time to let their guard down around their most valuable prisoner. In the meantime, their custody remained the safest haven for his dear General and their child.

The Knights were ready, waiting. Kylo couldn't simply kill them, lest that trigger the explosives, he couldn't fight them outright or else they would manually trigger the explosives. He quieted his mind, and opened it to the Force. A smile spread his face and he lifted his hands as if in surrender. With the barest twitch of his wrists, the manual detonators were unplugged. He called his lightsaber to his hand and swiftly removed the limbs from his fellow Knights, before hurrying back to his shuttle. He knew there were mere moments before they bled out, which would likely trigger the secondary detonators.

He couldn't deny the thrill in his blood as he took off from the surface, preparing for a leap into hyperspace. The planetoid burst with the fires of explosions just as Kylo unlatched his helmet. No sooner had the stars in view began to streak, he felt debris hit his craft, knocking him through the cockpit, his half covered head colliding with the floor.

~

Phasma was more pleased with the list of prisoners than Hux was. His primary finding was that virtually every higher ranking officer was on board with him, the bulk of the enlisted and troopers having been divided across the former-Republic’s battleship brigs. He wondered at the number unaccounted for, casualties, deserters and escapees.

“I'm not known for making friends, General, and few of my troopers have been detained with us here, but fortunately it would seem that I will have the pleasure of introducing you to my second favorite sparring partner.” Phasma explained as they were escorted through the improvised cells.

Hux merely hummed in response, analyzing the faces of his subordinates as they passed. A pleasing number of them still offered their respect. Some seemed entirely lost in their plights, a few were openly resentful. 

He was quietly relieved that he hadn't seen Skyfall since shi’d departed from the surrender. Something about the alien unnerved him beyond hir simple inhumanity and he was hyperaware that he wasn't in a position to ask many questions of his captors. It was a small mercy that they permitted his apparent interest in the conditions of his men.

Hux liked to think that he was above the hypocrisies of the Human High Culture that was yet another obsolete artifact of the Empire which should not have been a part of the First Order. However there were definitely very many aspects to alien species he was, if not altogether ignorant, wary of, in respect to their differing communication styles. Not that he necessarily bought into the New Republic propaganda that all sapient species were inherently equal. Hux thought that it was only natural that different species would prefer to keep to themselves and that the New Republic’s insistence on forcing diversity only led to greater unrest.

He didn't pretend to think that he knew the answers to ensuring peace between species, but for his own race, he was certain that they could model a respectable enough system of affiliation that others would desire to emulate and tailor to their own needs. Let them come to him as equals once they had proven themselves capable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I very much think that Hux is a "I'm not a racist but-" sort of guy. He doesn't actively try to discrimate and persecute others, and he would claim to have friends of other species, but he's been highly isolated and in a fascist state there isn't a lot of diversity. 
> 
> We don't have official knowledge about a lot of how the First Order worked on a practical day to day scale, and although Hux' pre-recorded speeches weren't very sensitive, it wasn't quite the virulent xenophobia that I hear IRL so...
> 
> Anyway I am really looking forward to the next chapter because I'm going to introduce a character that I think we all love and will recognize.
> 
> No it's not Darth Binks. (Note to self, figure out if I can sneak Darth Binks into this series)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one _I_ have been waiting for.
> 
> I'm sure you all know what this means.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A familiar face appears.
> 
> Also I kinda conflated the Silencer and the Epsilon class shuttle while writing this so there might be some inconsistencies.

“Hi, I'm Matt, I'm a radar technician.” The large blonde man mumbled with his head down.

“And I'm sure I don't need to introduce you to General Hux.” Phasma was almost grinning.

“No ma'am.” Matt replied, saluting the general nervously. “Sir.”

Hux stared at the man through narrowed eyes. “Has anyone ever told you that you have an uncanny resemblance to Kylo Ren?” Despite the blonde hair, absurd glasses and unflattering uniform, Hux’ gut twisted to recognize that in addition to build, the man's blotchy complexion covered a startlingly similar facial structure, made all the more uncanny in its uncommon nature.

“Thank you, Sir.” The man blushed bright red, bringing attention to his large ears.

“It's intentional, he’s Kylo's biggest fan.” Phasma explained with an amused tone. Hux shot her a crooked look.

“Is that so?” Hux goaded.

“Uh, well, Sir, I just look up to Lord Ren a lot, he's just, very powerful and... Cool... Sir.” Matt was very clearly uncomfortable but enthusiastic.

Again Hux looked at Phasma, as if to ask what the point of meeting such an idiot was. “Matt here started out in the Stormtrooper program, unfortunately, like Ren, he had a bit of a problem with his temper. Lucky for him his technical skills allowed him to transfer to his current position.”

“I see.” Replied Hux, maintaining eye contact with Phasma in clear need of further explanation.

“Matt, how would you like to transfer to a new position today?” Phasma asked pleasantly, looking away from Hux.

“Uh, Ma'am, aren't we prisoners?” The awkward man responded uneasily, clearly expecting some form of rebuke.

“Indeed, however we have been given an unusual amount of leeway. Lord Ren assigned me to guarding the general personally. It is no small task and I'm afraid that I myself am only human. Our captors have generously granted my request to add a secondary guard of our own to protect the General.”

Matt's eyes rounded in understanding. Hux found it comical in the way his glasses enhanced the size of them. “It would be an honor, Sir, Ma'am.” He replied, saluting again. Again Hux and Phasma shared a look about the man's poor military bearing, but then the Stormtrooper Captain smirked conspiratorially.

“There's a reason that I sought you out in specific, Matt, can you keep a secret?” There was a question, almost a dare in her eyes as she spared a glance to Hux.

Matt nodded excitedly, putting his head as close to the barrier between them as possible. Hux merely lifted an eyebrow.

“It's not common knowledge, but General Hux, he's carrying Kylo Ren's baby.”

Matt gasped in awe. “I swear I'll protect you like it was my own!”

Hux fought to keep his face steeled as he felt his cheeks heat. He was not surprised by Phasma’s cajoling, indeed, he could certainly appreciate the way she had ensured a trustworthy ally. He still wasn't sold on the idea that having one of their own, unarmed, amongst the Resistance guards outside their cell would do them any good, but he supposed that it wouldn't hurt. He almost asked if Phasma was planning something further, but knew that whatever they said was likely to be overheard. Despite Skyfall’s assurances of neutrality, the Resistance was still hungry for information.

~

Kylo felt nauseous as he regained consciousness, the blur of stars around him hurting his head further. It took him a moment to realize that his artificial gravity had not faltered, he was simply hanging from his seat at a strange angle as his vessel hurtled through hyperspace. It was fortunate indeed that the vast majority of space was void. He slowed his ship to orient himself, seeking the nearest inhabited planet to find a physician, or at least a medical Droid for what he was pretty sure seemed to be a concussion. His ribs pained him where he'd collided with the armrest of his seat, but mercifully they didn't seem to be broken.

He felt like the Force was laughing at him when he noted that he would need to disembark on Tatooine. One of his sublight engines had been damaged by the moon’s explosion and he swore when it seemed that his radar systems were similarly kaput. He used his hyperspace engines to draw as close to the planet as he dared and was forced to visually examine the surface from orbit as he sought a suitable area to descend.

He wouldn't be able to guide the Silencer to a smooth landing, but he was relatively certain that he wouldn't outright crash it either. He aimed towards the outskirts of one of the planet's two major spaceports. As he neared the ground with otherwise worrying speed, he struggled to maintain control in a smooth direction. He was almost relieved to pass a compound as his craft hit the desert sands, tumbling and rolling. He'd securely fastened his safety restraints and mercifully, the ship stopped upright. 

He sighed and took in his appearance, groaning in response. He was obviously dirty, rumpled and haggard. He put on his helmet and scowled, his own drying blood obscuring the viewport. He was unsteady on his feet, but didn't think that he would lose his balance. He was optimistic that most of the blood on his robes wasn't his own. He transferred pertinent information to a datacard he would keep on his person and then reset the ship's computers to factory settings. This eliminated all strategic data; flight logs, destinations and communication channels. Neither the Order nor any other agent be able to make use of the ship's history to discover more of his objectives.

As he expected would greet his crash, a small pack of raiders approached his landing site, blasters at the ready. He sighed as he strode down the exit ramp, unperturbed by the nervous, almost feral eyes regarding him.

“I have come to trade.” He offered simply.

A few of the raiders laughed. “What's to stop us from taking what we please? You look like you've already been beaten.” One of them spat on the ground.

“I will trade my ship for credits and a speeder.” Kylo continued, unbothered by the cocky threats.

“Why would we want to do that?” Their apparent raid leader sneered.

“Because I think you know that despite your blasters I am very capable of eliminating all of you without breaking a sweat.” He didn't need to bluff, the pressure of the Dark Side was heavy in the air around him.

“Who are you?!” The other man demanded.

“My identity is irrelevant for the sake of trade.” He wasn't surprised that he wasn't immediately recognized, he was a special weapon, not a propaganda model.

One of the raiders fired. Kylo didn't bother to raise a hand to stop the bolt. Finally, he had their attention, staring in horror as he stepped past the spitting streak of plasma suspended in the air.

“I have come to trade.” He repeated, releasing the bolt to sizzle harmlessly into the sands.

“Yeah, all right, okay, we can do that. Our camp is just a little bit that way.” The apparent lead stammered quickly in an attempt to control the situation.

“I know.” Was all Kylo acknowledged, walking with purpose towards the compound he had passed.

It took a moment for the raiders to collect themselves, accompanying the Force user as if escorting him, but none daring to come too close.

The presumed leader hurried to the gate, and Kylo could just overhear “Get Mama!”

“Show me to your selection of speeders.” The raiders glanced at each other before one of them strode forward to guide him towards the small fleet of expectedly junkyard condition vehicles. He knelt to examine each one, checking beyond the appearances to the guts of the machines.

“My boys say that you have a damaged ship you want to trade.” The woman's voice was deceptively casual, the tone of someone who assumed her own authority and control of any given situation. Kylo stood and turned very slowly, impassive in his own demeanor. 

“It is in good condition with minor damage to its exterior plating. The radar array and starboard sublight engine suffered from collision with space debris. The rest is top of the line First Order engineering.”

“We'll talk after I see it for myself.” She scoffed, trying to hide the desperate gleam of interest in her cruel eyes. On a planet like Tatooine, the mere concept of reaching space was nearly a myth for the average inhabitant. Kylo expected that there would be further attempts on his life, from here more subtle, and so he kept his awareness sharp, even as he played at disinterest in his surroundings. He would need to wait until he reached the spaceport before seeking medical attention.

~

His anger would never allow him to admit it aloud, but Hux already missed Ren's presence beside him. It had been easy enough to let sleep claim him while exhausted, but he was too restless after a full day in confinement. He rolled from his side to his back, frowning over the fact his child seemed to share his sentiment, twisting and flailing as if to get comfortable. Kylo was good at soothing their child, connecting with the Force to reach more than the outside of Hux’ belly.

He was almost desperate enough to ask if Phasma wouldn't mind holding him, but knew that it would likely encourage her to make another lewd remark on how he could use Matt as a temporary replacement for his absent co-commander. He hoped that the captain had been joking, but her deadpan delivery left much to the imagination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder what random characters we might meet next?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo takes charge of an explosive situation.
> 
> Hux is getting sick of being a prisoner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I wonder who I could possibly introduce next.

They were stalling. Kylo was certain of it, and the combination of the desert heat on his heavy garments with the effects of the concussion were beginning to wear on his mind. Grimly, he expected that this was their intent, to wear him down. He'd returned to the Silencer to collect his few personal items, and stopped when he spotted a figure sitting in the pilot's seat.

His first thought was a hallucination, the glaring spot of brightness seeming to be a living flame, until his eyes resolved the person to be the hunched figure of a slight man. His shirt was a searing neon yellow, almost green, setting off the lank copper hair. Large red-rimmed, blue eyes fixed on Kylo like a deer in the headlights. 

Behind his mask Kylo frowned. The man was obviously a slave. Despite having his sex tattooed across his forehead, the man was delicately featured, to the point that he was almost effeminate. Kylo's lip curled realizing that the eyes were cybernetic, clearly not gently installed.

The woman who insisted upon calling herself Mama emerged from the shade of the small fighter with a grin. Kylo felt himself bristling at the way she clearly dug her fingers into the shoulder of the small man at the controls. “So, what are the diagnostics?”

“It's like he said, just minor damage.” The slave radiated fear and tension that soured the taste of the Force in the area.

“Well, I guess that means that it's time for us to strike a deal.” Mama beamed at Kylo but he could feel the hate rolling off her like venom. He hadn't yet bothered to call out the near ‘accidents’ and poisoned refreshments the raider clan’s hospitality had offered him so far.

“I would like one of your speeders, this slave, and the rest of the value in credits.” Kylo stated simply.

Her eyes narrowed to steely flint. “He's not for sale.”

The slave kept his face hidden, curled up on himself and shaking.

Kylo cocked his head. “He's valuable to you?”

“Irreplaceable, unfortunately.” She sneered, not hiding that she knew she was hurting the man she dug her claws into. 

“For what purpose?” Kylo felt a measure of intrigue, slaves were valuable commodities on worlds like this, but in the outskirts, the needs of an adult man were just as much of a liability.

“He's basically a human Droid, extraordinary really, not to mention his rare coloring. I take it that's your interest in him.” Mama played at disinterest, but Kylo could feel her irritation with him growing.

“Would a Droid not serve his purpose more ideally? They never tire, require less care, and are typically more resilient to damage.” Kylo cocked his head, but felt that perhaps the last trait was specifically why she kept a slave of flesh and blood.

“Aw, but Techie is special to me.” She hissed, possessively pulling the terrified slave close. “It's like he's one of my own...” She trailed off with a manic grin. 

Kylo turned his back. “Very well, I suppose that you have the credits to compensate me fully for the rest of the ship’s value.”

They both knew that she could not, the entire compound would barely account for the repairs costs alone, even if they were doing the job themselves, as seemed most likely. They also knew that a fair deal was not an option for either of them. Kylo was offering her the deal of a lifetime and yet she was furious that she was unable to simply take his assets through violence. 

He could feel how very badly she wished to reduce him to a slave under her bootheel, would dream of him fearing her as Techie did. He found it strange how someone could be so petty and vindictive without any sense of greater convictions. She was the biggest fish in her small pond, but she would soon be overwhelmed in the greatness of the galaxy at large. If she weren’t, he would almost have a conscience about letting such a monster free from the bounds of gravity.

That said, it was becoming unclear exactly how he was supposed to extricate himself from the present situation. He wondered what the difference would be if he turned their violence back on themselves, if creating a vacuum in this raider territory would cause any tangible result. 

His head hurt, he was ill, he just wanted to make it to the spaceport and see to his needs. Haggling with two-bit raiders was spreading what little patience he had thin. If he were well, he would likely have already eliminated them simply for wasting his time. He wasn’t sure there was an easy answer to this situation, his fatigue alone cause for immense concern.

Killing them all wasn’t his worry, but doing so unscathed would be difficult, and he did not wish to take on greater damage to his form. Perhaps he shouldn’t have pre-emptively wiped the First Order data from the Silencer’s computer banks. He could have simply waited for a ship to arrive and show these raiders what a proper military assault looked like. 

On the other hand, he would want to face one of those even less. Even if for some reason Snoke had not already released information on his desertion, there would be too many questions. If only he’d landed closer to the spaceport, he would have been able to rely on competing offers for his vessel, however, that also rose the notoriety of his arrival. As it was, likely the only reason warring hordes of scrap harvesters weren’t fighting over the craft was due to the presence of this small raider clan.

He looked again at the clan leader. Killing her would be simple. None of her clan was fond of her, her power lay solely in the fear she had sown. The rest of the raiders weren’t quite as damnable souls, equally small minded, many nearly as cruel, but without leadership, they would quickly dissolve. Kylo grinned, snapping his fingers, and with it Mama’s neck. Techie shrieked and leapt on top of the control panel in alarm, as Kylo felt the compound explode behind him.

“Fuck.” He hadn’t anticipated that. No wonder her subordinates had been so careful with her. He strode to the exit of his craft to observe the damage. “I hope I can cannibalize a speeder out of what’s left.” He muttered aloud. Optimistically, he removed his helmet and took a deep breath of unfiltered air. “Well, are you coming?”

“What the fuck...” Techie muttered, eyes wide and still cringing. “Why, why do you want me?” He asked, voice trembling.

“You remind me of someone...” Kylo stared off, feeling his focus drift. “I need to get to the spaceport and find a medic. I might pass out.”

~

Hux stared into the bowl of his provided breakfast as if it had insulted him personally. It wasn't that he wasn't used to subpar rations, they'd been the primary staple for most of his life. He tilted the bowl and watched the thick goo flow from one sticky side of the bowl to the other. Grains soaked in Blue milk seemed to be the only available fare. Skyfall had explained it as serendipitous that shi’d such a store of the two on hand, but Hux’ stomach disagreed. It was made worse by the awful sounds of his guards slurping the mix down greedily.

He would eat it eventually, had done so for the duration of the trip so far, but he was despairing for the day they would land planetside. It would never be too soon if he never saw this solution again. He pondered his feelings over Skyfall’s distracted care, how shi treated him as if he were an amusement. Shi had expressed regret that shi would be off on another job as soon as the prisoners and supplies were offloaded from hir ship, but Hux had to wonder why shi’d deemed it necessary to speak so familiarly with him at all. It felt uncomfortably like he was a creature in a zoo or terrarium, and he wasn't certain that wasn't hir interest in him. There wasn't much else to distract him in the meantime, but spending it analyzing an alien mind was hardly the most useful information, given that hir species was uncommon away from hir homeworld.

It was the first time that the tell tale turbulence of a craft hitting atmo filled him with a desperate sense of relief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hux is far too much of a gentleman to throw himself on the ground and dramatically kiss the dirt, praising the blessing of terra firma, but you can be sure that it's in his heart.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally getting somewhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might start uploading another chapter a week just to get more out before TLJ. I wanted to finish writing the last installment of the story before doing so, but I'm 25 chapters in and still have a lot more to go.

“Fuck, Hey, hey dude, don't be dead...” A man's voice on the verge of panic.

“He's not dead.” Stated a cold electronic voice, either a droid or an alien’s vocalizer.

“Wake up, you're okay, it's fine, they said you're fixed up.” The frightened man again.

For a moment as Kylo's eyes focused on the beacon of copper, he thought the trial of the prior several days was only a dream, that he was safe with Hux in the General's quarters. Stones digging into his spine disabused him of that notion, and he struggled to sit up, pushing a hand behind him.

“Oh thank God.” Gasped the long haired ginger at his side. Kylo scanned his surroundings, noting that they were in an alleyway, a medic Droid standing by. The speeder that they'd hastily reconstructed leaning against the far wall.

“Payment.” The droid extended a flat claw.

Kylo blinked, taking stock of his physical condition. Thirsty, probably dehydrated, still a bit sore. He raised a still gloved hand to the back of his head, tender but intact. “Take the speeder.” He groaned, shoving off of the wall to stand.

The Droid paused to consider this, before extending primitive limbs of approximate dimensions to handle the craft. Techie hurried to pull Kylo's luggage free before the Droid powered up the vehicle. Kylo waited for the droid to leave before he started walking, reaching out to take his things from Techie.

“Thanks for not deserting me.” Kylo offered, fatigue still set deep in his bones. He glanced at his new companion, technically his slave now. The fine boned man was still curled in on himself, but came up nearly to Kylo's shoulders. “You're taller than I thought.” He noted, and a wave of uncomfortable familiarity rolled through him as the startled red head stood straighter for a moment, his strong resemblance to Hux more than passing.

“I mean, you’re welcome, but it’s not like there’s really any place for me to go.” He mumbled, eyes still downcast as he kept his arms wrapped around himself, picking idly at his skin.

“We need new clothing.” Kylo noted, his robes were strikingly distinctive in addition to being suspicious, and the bright colors of Techie’s tattered rags drew nearly as much attention as his hair. “Then probably a room in an inn, with a refresher.”

“You uh, didn’t pick up any extra credits from the speeder... Do you have enough?”

“I have what I need.” Kylo smirked. Once he hit the main drag he quickly oriented himself to a busy market. Techie followed nervously, as he did everything, but Kylo boldly grabbed whatever suited his tastes directly from the stalls and racks they passed. It wasn’t difficult to pass below notice, having made Techie wear his cloak to hide his coloring. “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Kylo asked, grinning as he passed a handful of kabobs to Techie after having snatched them from an unwatched grill.

Techie was staring at his blazen display quietly. “How do you do that?”

“I know when people are looking. I make sure they don’t see me.” He replied smugly.

~

Hux’ relief was short lived as they made landfall. Much as their detainment had been largely improvised across spacecraft, the planetside base was even more starkly underprepared.

“They really had no fall back plan for taking prisoners.” Hux scoffed.

“To be fair, they were expecting us to blow ourselves out of the sky.” Phasma reminded him cheerily.

“If it were anyone else but Kylo Ren at fault for this I would be surprised by such disarray. And no wonder considering this is the sort of people he came from.”

Matt flinched, made as if to say something, but had learned that Hux’ constant diatribes towards his hero were a strange sort of affectionate.

“Why did you decide to make your face look like his?” Hux asked, finally giving into his curiosity, as they strode through the quickly crowding clearing they were being released to.

“I didn’t.” Matt scowled darkly. “I mean, people teased me, said I looked like him anyways, not that many people have even seen his face, then there was an incident in training, I had to get reconstructive surgery and someone thought that it would be funny. They even tattooed the marks on.”

Hux stared at him for a long moment, the technician’s face fixed on the ground. “Unfortunate. Does Ren know?”

“He does.” Phasma’s voice bled her particular blend of cruel amusement.

“How did he take it?”

“Uh, he wasn’t happy at first,” Matt admitted. “Tried to break my face again...” He had a somewhat strained expression. “He understood after he looked in my head... We, kinda work out together sometimes now... or we did.”

“Any other surprises like this in the ranks, Captain?” Hux turned back to Phasma.

“No, after Matt, specific rules were instituted that facial reconstructions were no longer allowed to resemble existing personnel.” Phasma's face was it's usual flat expression, but Hux could sense the mischief lingering within.

“It could be useful to have a look-alike.” Hux considered idly.

“A decoy you mean.” Phasma remarked knowingly.

“Of course.”

“I guess I should be glad Kylo wears a helmet then.” Matt laughed uneasily.

“Yes, quite.”

“General Hux, your presence was requested!” A messenger ran up to them, huffing. Hux beamed involuntarily as he recognized the man.

“Lieutenant Mitaka, it’s good to see you made it.” Hux was being sincere, happy to be seeing his dependable staff around.

“Thank you, sir.” Mitaka led his superior officers across and through the crowd of incarcerated First Order personnel, being penned into a circle of fencing.

A knot of Resistance and Republic leaders stood together arguing in a low tone.

“General Organa, I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.” Hux interrupted in his sweetest tone.

Leia turned sharply, glaring hard at the enemy general. “Hux, it was brought to our attention that you have decided that you bear a responsibility towards your troops, and as you are also an engineer of note, it was suggested that you would be capable of planning suitable shelter and infrastructure for their well being.”

“You could always simply shuttle us back to the Finalizer.” Hux purred.

Leia’s glare was hard, but her tone was just as light. “If you aren’t interested, we are prepared to offer captain Skyfall the contract to design the, what was the word shi used? Ah, yes, _enclosure_ , to build an _‘authentic human habitat’_.”

Hux paled. “I’ll do it. Bring me some drafting supplies.”

“I thought you would be pleased to have this opportunity to work together, General.” Leia was only able to enjoy her temporary victory for a moment before something caught her attention, face pinching up as she narrowed her eyes. Hux had another moment of quiet glee as she stalked to his guards. She studied Matt’s face for a moment before slapping him so hard he fell to the ground. Incensed, she turned to Hux. “What is the meaning of this?!” She demanded, pointing to where the man picked himself up onto his knees, checking his glasses for damage.

“General, please, I’m sure you understand the practice of body doubles. Wasn’t it a tradition of Naboo royalty?” Hux was almost certain that Leia was about to slap him, and was prepared to step out of her reach, but she only glowered and stormed off through the perimeter of blaster equipped Resistance guards.

“Why did she hit _me?!_ ” Matt bemoaned, rubbing his cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Matt.
> 
> As to whether or not Leia's telling the truth about the alien Captain treating humans as shi would chattel, well... Hux isn't about to take that risk.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our antiheroes finally face the Resistance directly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if there are problems in the editing because I am high as fuck

Kylo was surprised when it was Techie that woke him. He wasn’t the lightest sleeper, despite his Force awareness and strict training, but Techie’s screams would wake the dead. The thin man thrashed on the floor, tangled in a blanket, moaning in fear and pain. Kylo covered his mouth first, not wanting to wake the rest of the seedy motel, and held the other man to his body in what he hoped was a comforting manner as he mostly tried to restrain the flailing limbs. “Hey, shut up, Techie, you’re okay.” The former slave was projecting strongly and Kylo grit his teeth as he experienced the sensation of thumbs digging through his eyes.

Techie’s struggles redoubled for a moment as he woke, but then he went still except for involuntary shivers.

“Good?” Kylo asked.

Techie nodded and Kylo removed his hand. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, we needed to get up anyway.” He awkwardly patted Techie on the head as he stood.

“Oh. Okay.” Techie stammered, crawling to his feet.

Kylo slipped on his boots and grabbed his bag, waiting as Techie caught up. “It’s time that we find our ride off of this rock.”

Techie just nodded and kept his head down, wearing a shapeless hat that covered the tattoo on his forehead as well as his bright, freshly washed hair. Dressed down in slightly worn neutral colored clothing they blended in with the few other people on the streets at the hour. It was after dark, but long before the bars had reached their peak. It was the perfect time for the majority of smugglers and ship crews on shore leave to disperse, leaving their vessels largely unguarded.

Kylo strode with his usual swagger, his confidence that of a man who knew where he was going and had authority. Techie kept to his heels like a battered dog. They passed all manner of ships, but Kylo kept careful eye on the makes, models and current guard status.

He couldn’t hold in a laugh as he spotted a familiar craft, sitting quietly at the end of the pad. For the first time in over a decade, he had returned to the Millennium Falcon.

~

Hux would never have admitted it, but the task Leia had granted him was gratifying work. Meanwhile Phasma and a few of his other loyal officers organized the ranks. Quickly the troops were put to work organizing barracks, mess halls and latrines as quickly as they could be built, using only the most basic tools the Resistance would allow the prisoners. He had a secondary purpose in his coordinating, first identifying any spies who were not part of First Order ranks, secondly any Resistance sympathizers, and finally, sorting where the loyalties of the First Order troops truly lay. 

It was a relief that few were true believers in Snoke, it was deeply flattering that many respected himself, and then there were those who were most beholden to Kylo Ren. He decided to leave those under Matt’s command. His bodyguard was a little overwhelmed with his newfound power, but the combined advice of Phasma and Hux let him keep what was affectionately referred to as The Squires of Ren in a respectable modicum of discipline.

Hux was less surprised the next time Leia requested an audience of him. She even seemed more amenable to his attitude, and he had to admit that his own demeanor had relaxed in kind.

“You’ve done a very thorough job, Hux. I admit, I was expecting an escape attempt.” Her fingers were steepled as if to hide her smirk. “Not even an uprising.”

“Survival is our first priority, General, it’s how the First Order was born.”

“I also appreciated the delivery of Snoke’s faithful.” Leia offered further.

“How about the return of your own men?” Hux smirked.

Leia laughed. “I didn’t think that would work. It was impressive how quickly you routed them.”

“I do pride myself on organization.” He preened.

“Yes, that’s what drives you the most, doesn’t it? Desperate to keep things neat. Odd that you chose my son as a suitor.” She stated with a raised eyebrow.

“General, don’t play coy, there isn’t a force in the Galaxy to control that man.” Hux sighed, realizing he was craving a cigarette again.

“Yes, well, that leads to my secondary reason for our meeting today, would you like to see a physician on base?” Leia’s eyes were kind, but tempered with longing.

“Is your presence a condition?” He asked acidly.

“Not a condition no, there are no conditions. You may have as many or as few accompanying you to the medical sector, within reason.” Leia did not meet his gaze.

Hux was quiet, thoughtful, though he was relieved that the offer was so open ended. “I would like my usual guards, and you can attend if you like.” He said as if it were no concern of his. 

He didn’t want to like Leia and did not wish to give her any kind of indication that she was entitled to his personal matters, but he knew that even if he chose to be vindictive, there was little to prevent her from reviewing the results of the appointment later. In fact, it would likely work against him in the long run to continue to provoke her ire. “When it’s time... are you planning to take my child from me?” He asked, raising his view to hers, reluctant to reveal his vulnerability.

It scared Hux more to see sympathy. “My son was stolen from me, I’d prefer not to repeat the pain. It’s known that a child is stronger for spending its early time with their birth parent. I won’t fault you for being reluctant to trust me, you’re a prisoner, and your background does not allow such kindnesses. I won’t lie that I don’t intend to spare some time for my own grandchild, but I will allow such at your own discretion.”

Hux looked away, biting his lip, the sense of relief having revealed his greatest concern threatening his composure.

“Take care, General Hux, be well. Your escort will be ready when you are.” She informed him, putting a hand on the table before she stood to leave.

~

“What are you doing here!?” Rey demanded, shoulders heaving with poorly concealed rage, blaster shaking in her hands.

Kylo turned in the captain’s seat easily. “My father left me this ship.”

“YOU KILLED HIM!” Rey screamed, drawing and igniting her lightsaber in a single flourish. Kylo remained unmoved as Techie whimpered, curling into a ball on the copilot’s seat.

“And he lost this ship in a card game. We all make mistakes.” He raised his hands to show that he held no weapon.

“Mistakes?! You killed your own father in cold blood! You’re a monster!” She continued, holding the blade just short of his face, the heat alone nearly adding to his existing scar.

“I’m hunting a bigger one. I could use allies attuned to the Force.” Kylo responded easily, blinking against the blinding blue.

Footsteps announced the rest of the current crew. Finn and Poe trained their blasters on Kylo as Rey snarled for him to fight her.

“You’re scaring my slave.” He noted cheerily.

“Is that General Hux?” Finn lowered his blaster in disbelief.

“No but the resemblance is remarkable isn’t it?” Kylo greeted.

“A slave?!” Rey sputtered, as if astounded her opinion of the Knight could fall still lower.

“To be fair, he’s free to do as he pleases, I killed his former master. He doesn’t really seem like he’s ready to look after himself however.” Ren replied casually.

“Ben?!” Panted a hoarse yet familiar voice.

“Uncle Luke, it’s been too long.” Kylo turned in his seat. “If someone could relieve my copilot, I’m not sure he’s ready for departing.”

Luke nodded, pale, but strangely relaxed. “Rey, you should do it.”

“What?!” Rey and Poe demanded in tandem. Finn was already tending to Techie, rubbing his back and making reassuring comments, helping him to move away from the cockpit to a less tense atmosphere.

“I imagine Kylo has a lot of explaining to do, but in the meantime we should head out, and it would do you well to learn to work together, I feel that it will be critical in the future.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #Leiadeservedbetter2kalways Seriously, some of y'all think that she wouldn't be able to show compassion to the enemy?


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting the cards laid out on the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Darktenshi pointed out that I should write Hux and Leia at the appointment and so I managed to throw a few lines together.

“Oh, she's a girl.” Leia commented, riveted to the holoprojection.

“I thought so, but she wouldn't hold still long enough to be sure at my last appointment.” Hux smiled. “I suppose I should start thinking more seriously about naming her. Your son's suggestions were terrible, for the record.”

“He called himself Kylo.” Leia snorted.

“Kylo's a cool name.” Matt protested, immediately silenced by disapproving glares.

Phasma seemed thoughtful, her smile slanted in an almost feral manner. “Knowing all of you, I'm excited to see how fierce she will be. I know Han was a bold man as well, Skywalker and Vader are legends... She will do great things.”

“I'm not naming her after you, Captain.” Hux scoffed playfully.

“No,of course not, that would be confusing.”

~

Poe and Techie took the second shift of flying while the rest convened to discuss matters of the Force. Rey remained dubious of Kylo’s intentions, Luke remained somber, and Finn mostly tried to temper Rey’s anger. 

“So what changed?” Luke began.

“I found something more important than the power Snoke promised. Once I saw that, I realized that Snoke had never taught me anything I wouldn't have figured out on my own. Everything he taught me, that he told me would make me strong... It didn't. It was me the whole time, he just found ways to take credit for my own advancement. I knew he was using me, but for so long I believed him when he told me that only he knew the secret to my power. A lot of what I did, I did because I believed that I needed to have the most power to fix things, to right the wrongs of the Galaxy. I'm not asking for forgiveness, I'm not apologizing, but I did what I thought was necessary.” 

He waited for someone to challenge him, but despite the incessant glare from Rey, Luke simply nodded for him to continue.

“I didn't let myself think about what it meant at first, the emptiness, a gnawing void desperate to be filled. For so long I had depended on my anger and pain to guide me, to fuel me, I didn't know what to do. Hux and I had been at odds in the past. My presence, well, my very existence, doesn't lend itself well to regulation, to discipline. Lacking my own inner fire I tried to get a rise out of Hux.” He bit his lip and felt stupid when a blush flamed over his cheeks.

“The tension between us became an arrangement of mutual indulgence. It was incredibly beneficial to me, to us both. I was renewed, power flowing from pleasure rather than pain.” He chewed his lip, could feel the disinterested disdain. “It probably doesn't matter to you, how Hux and I were better off. We were irresponsible and now he's pregnant. That changed things. Snoke doesn't allow divided loyalties. I knew it then, that it was inevitable, but I was hoping that I could handle things on my own. Instead, Snoke gave me the direct order to choose between Hux’ life or my loyalty.

“I don't expect you to care, but we have a common enemy now, and I am under the impression that regardless of its origin, you would value the life of an innocent child.”

“How do we find Snoke?” Luke asked evenly.

“I don't know.” Kylo sank his head into his hands. “It's why I came to you, why the Force itself led me to this ship, on that planet.”

Luke nodded. “I am an old man now, but when I was young, I believed in the goodness of my father, even when everyone else found him irredeemable. I don't know that I can even promise to try, to trust or understand, much less forgive what you've done. Your choice in mate is held in far lower esteem, I saw the speech, the callous way he destroyed so many lives.” Luke shook his head. 

“But it is not my place to judge. I have learned, been forced to accept that I am not in control of the Force. Terrible, tragic things are as much an act of balance as the good. I was a fool to think that I alone could change that. I failed to understand, and we have been doomed to the present state of affairs.” It seemed like there was more the man meant to say, but instead he too lapsed into the silence of regret.

“Okay, so we're killing Snoke, all right, sign me up, that's the end of the First Order for good, right?” Finn interjected, pushing for a lighter mood.

A dry smile spread across Kylo's wide mouth. “Snoke already did that himself. Without Hux, the chain of command has already begun to falter.”

Even if they were to combine their efforts, it was unlikely that they would be able to sense Snoke’s presence through the Force, and thus they would be limited to traditional forms of espionage.

~

“General Hux, I have good news for you.” Leia greeted, looking happier than he’d ever seen the other general.

Hux rose an eyebrow, cocking his head. Most of his communication with the outside world had been perfunctory, generally being informed of First Order defeats, and Alliance victories. Occasionally they would ask him for intel, rarely he gave it. Most surprising was hearing that the First Order was bleeding defectors at a steady rate. It should have distressed him, but apparently he had been a linchpin holding the military discipline together. It was in a weird way satisfying, even as he was gradually being forced to acknowledge that his side was losing the war. A frequent concern at this point was pondering exactly which side of the war he was now on.

Leia and other officials of the Alliance had been offering him the option to renounce his ties to the First Order and take up with them. He hated that he’d reached a point of considering it. Strategically speaking, the First Order was beat, his remaining force was substantial and would wrap up the war neatly. He would be able to reabsorb any First Order staff who would accept him. It also absolved him of being tried for his war crimes. Truly there were more reasons he should accept it rather than continue to refuse, perhaps it was merely a matter of pride at this time. To surrender would mean accepting orders from his former enemies. He wasn’t certain that wouldn’t include those who would be just as willing to see him perish in combat.

Leia passed him a note. He read before he was aware what he was reading, and he analyzed the text repeatedly.

 

_Hux,_

_I’m sorry._

_I know the Order was your life, your everything before you met me, and I can’t imagine how damaging current circumstances must be for you. I know I’m not accepting the compromises I need to make very easily myself. You know that this wasn’t what I had hoped for, but I assure you it was the only possible solution._

_Snoke doesn’t actually care about your life, or mine for that matter. He’s not so aged he fears death yet, waiting another generation for an apprentice is nothing to him. If you had died, he would have owned me. I am not his priority, and now I am merely a sunk cost that he would just as easily abandon. I sent you to the only place I knew he wouldn’t have direct access to you. I still worry every day he will send an assassin, but I don’t think he wants you dead, not yet._

_I told you about the nightmares. I can’t pretend I don’t know why I keep having them. He promised me that killing my father would make things clear. Perhaps it might have, if there had been nothing left for me. It’s only clear for me now that he doesn’t care who lives and who dies, only what serves his interest._

_Our child will be strong in the Force, as it is in my bloodline. He lured me away from my family right under their noses. He brainwashed me so thoroughly that I didn’t hesitate to murder my own father, and he’s shown that he’ll stop at nothing to do as he pleases. I don’t want my child to suffer as I have. I would rather that we not suffer what I forced my parents through. Alone, we can’t protect ourselves, and even together, I hate to admit it, but without full cooperation, we’re just as lost as if we were still fighting._

_We have a chance, we can change things. We can still fight for that better galaxy, to seek direction and lead people to a better life. It won’t be the decisive surgical strike you wanted, but at least we still have the opportunity to do something. I hate to say it, but the First Order is dead, and until Snoke has joined it in dust, we might as well be too._

_Yours Always,_

_Kylo Ren_

 

Again Hux desperately wished he could smoke. He wanted to pace. The infant shifted within him as if sensing his distress. According to Leia, and Kylo it seemed, the child could. He stroked his belly absently as he thought it over.

“It’s genuine?” He knew it was.

“Kylo has joined my Brother Luke, and his daughter Rey. Finn, or I suppose you only knew him by his serial number FN-2187, and Poe Dameron as well. I spoke to them all. I would have sent for you but it was late, and their time was limited. They’re hunting Snoke across the Galaxy, but I’m sure that you know he’s not an easy target.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a Rey Skywalker fic


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, our protagonists have a lead to follow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy with the news that Snoke is exactly the kind of evil twat we all thought he was.

The Alliance leaders didn't trust Hux, and it actually made him feel better in a way. There was a part of him that resented the lightweight device encircling his ankle, which his guards did not similarly require, but he could acknowledge that he was being shown a far greater condition of freedom than he would have granted in their stead. He knew that he wasn't being entrusted with the full disclosure of intelligence, and despite acknowledging the wisdom of it, he itched at the frustration of the gaps in his knowledge.

He had been gradually assigning his men to the Resistance, each troop was then disbanded and separated to different divisions. It was a concern for all involved about how well the new units would integrate with their former enemies, but so far there hadn't been any significant complications. He discussed his feelings on the matter with Phasma, how it did them credit to have such obedient soldiers, but also somewhat disappointing that they had so readily abandoned the tenets of the First Order.

Hux knew that Phasma had never really been a true believer, and was truthfully just glad that she found his continued employ advantageous. He suspected that she simply found the current circumstances amusing. He had no illusions that her allegiance was anything other than conditional on whatever option best suited her own well being, but for now he was glad she was sticking with him. Far too many people had underestimated her, and he had nothing but respect for how she handled herself.

Matt made himself useful and that was about the most he could say for the man. Hux didn't like the idea that Matt was some kind of temporary facsimile for Kylo Ren, but he could admit that there was something reassuring about a shadow with a familiar shape. Matt had learned to keep his mouth shut and was surprisingly astute in turn. Hux had worried that the man's glasses would be an impediment, but his peripheral vision was almost sharper for it. Hux had questioned it once, Matt confessing it was learned from childhood bullying, both before and throughout the Stormtrooper program.

Hux was developing a reluctant sort of familiarity with the concept, understood what it meant to have to fight for oneself in the absence of allies. He could justify that it was to his benefit that he could relate to his personal guards, rather than a vulnerability. It was suggested that at some point they would be permitted to again wear Stormtrooper armor and the senior officers humored Matt's speculation on whether or not he should don his own distinctive design of some sort. Hux wasn't sure how to respond to the obvious influence of Ren’s mask and armor for what Matt wanted his custom garb to be, but dismissed it as a problem for a future time.

Most of the data reports Hux had access to were useless, he wondered sometimes if it was intentional, as if somehow boring him with the tedium of it would inspire more enthusiastic cooperation when he found something of note. He didn't have quite as much control as he would have appreciated when suggesting actionable options, but he could tell that he was gaining approval where it was needed. It wasn't the first time he had to prove himself and fight through the ranks.

Despite that he felt turmoil in his new capacity at odds with everything that he had been molded for, it became crystal clear when he recalled the reason for his efforts. Snoke had only ever been a worrying liability for the Order, and it was right that he seek whatever allies necessary when it came to excising such a cancer from the Galaxy. Snoke had served his purpose and if it had been left to Hux, he would have had Phasma handle the problem long ago.

He was in a more serene mood as he idly paged through reports, clandestinely considering that putting Matt in a flat black suit of armor would make for a satisfying contrast to Phasma's signature look, as well as liking the idea of reducing Matt’s silhouette into a proper shadow at his back. He was even toying with some designs which might more pleasingly combine the features of Ren's mask with the various specialized Stormtrooper helmets. He would also have to account for a method to distinguish his loyal troopers from those still under Snoke's diminished command.

If he had been a lesser man, perhaps his eyes would have passed over the singular mention within a routine supply base’s records. It was only a single word, but he knew the significance immediately. He felt nearly as powerful as his prime when he stormed into the Resistance war room, flanked by his imposing sentries.

“Snoke is aboard the Supremacy.”

~

“A dreadnought?! How are we supposed to face that? And he still has two battlecruisers and who knows how many old star destroyers at his command. Even if we could surprise the ship alone, our entire fleet can't stand up to that monster.” Poe exclaimed, hands flat on the Holo console.

Kylo was silent as the Resistance authorities argued the next plan of attack, more entranced by watching Hux via the hologram discussion than the subject of debate. He wondered idly who the Stormtrooper in black was, admired the distinctive details which made it both familiar and unique. He hadn't expected Hux would send him any kind of reply, and he could accept that Hux wouldn't waste time in an official meeting to greet him personally. Somehow Kylo found that it was enough to simply watch the other man, admiring the sight of him in his element, healthy and hale. He wondered if Hux had spared him any looks in turn.

It was a nearly physical ache sometimes, his pining, it was almost too much to bear how desperately he longed to be close to Hux, to lay his hands over where their child grew. His physical needs had become so much sharper in Hux’ absence. He'd been mortified to overhear Techie snickering to Finn that his private indulgences in the refresher had not nearly been as subtle as he'd thought.

Techie had become an integral member of the Falcon’s crew, more accepted than Kylo would ever be. When the battle with Snoke was over, he suspected that his mother would throw him in prison herself. He didn't even really care about that, didn't even mind that he could never belong, all he wanted was to know that Hux and their child were safe. Hux was doing well, and Kylo was proud of him, knowing that it could not have been easy. Watching the General conduct himself in his area of expertise, demanding the respect he was due by presence alone, Kylo wondered if he had the semi legendary glow of pregnancy.

He'd never been good at paying attention to long lectures, didn't even bother to pretend that his focus was directed to the subject. On the ground, in the field, was where his leadership mattered and even then he was focused more as a one man army, a blunt weapon to be unleashed on an enemy rather a rallying point for troops. 

Hux was perhaps the most gratifying subject he had to focus on and Kylo let himself indulge. Remembering the first meeting they'd had after becoming intimate brought a slight grin to his lips. Wondered how angry Hux would be if he made a similar advance now. He couldn't, even if he'd wanted to, such delicate and detailed mental communications weren't feasible over such a distance. He let such thoughts occupy his mind, imagining that he was again with his partner, skin on skin contact. Tasting each other, running hands over the familiar planes and valleys of one another's bodies. It wasn't just sexual desire, seeking to bury himself in the coveted heat which made him feel at home. He wondered how much broader the growth of Hux’ womb would be under his palms, imagined what it would be to feel a strong kick. He wondered when Hux would begin lactating.

An elbow to his ribs brought him back to the moment. Rey seemed even more disgusted with him than ever as she scowled across the table, and Luke was carefully not looking at him. He felt a blush blooming across his face to the tips of his ears. Hux was looking at him and Kylo almost lost focus on the instance again. He wasn't sure if the look he was receiving was understanding or censure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kylo, stop thinking so loudly, not everyone wants to fuck Hux as bad as we do.
> 
> Happy Turkey day everyone, I'm suffering regretshaving, which is like celebrating Thanksgiving except instead of being hungry you're hungover.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan is hatched and Hux has a regrettable conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops I forgot that I was updating on Saturdays now for this fic.

“As we've established, we cannot complete this objective through direct military force, instead it was suggested that a small strike team might achieve the goal. Success would be predicated on many variables-”

“I can get us on the ship.” Kylo interjected suddenly, snapping back into focus and standing nearer to the Holo table. “You won't like it, and I can't guarantee that it will work, but I can offer Snoke Luke and Rey as a show of contrition. Our other crew members can do the rest to make sure that we can get back out.”

Discussion broke out with renewed furor, but Ren sat back down. The objections were irrelevant; it was their best, perhaps only, chance.

“There's no way that we can get away with hiding people in the smuggling compartments on the ship, the Falcon is too well known at this point.” Luke sighed, remembering his first visit to the Death Star.

“They'll do a sweep for life forms but we picked up someone who can definitely work a device that will fool the sensors. Ideally he'll be able to uncover any information left. This will be the last stand of the First Order, we're going to hit them where they can't afford to take the hit.” Kylo felt more sure of himself than he had in a long while. 

There was a pause and it suddenly dawned on him the look he was being given. No words were said, but his cheeks burned as he realized that he had just behaved with exactly the sort of panache that his father had been known for. Even Rey was looking at him like she had never really seen him before. He looked to Hux instead, relief instant to have the discerning approval of his General. It was a subtle tilt of his head and a warm, calculating gaze.

Logistical considerations were again brought to the forefront, and chief among them was the simple fact that they still weren't certain where to begin the search to locate the Supremacy.

~

Despite that Hux’ creature comforts had improved, he wasn't sure what to do with his mounting anxieties. Many of his regular vices were precluded by his condition. Even had he someone to confide his worries in, he was uncertain that he would even be capable. He did his best to pass the time constructively, though little actionable data was available and he was increasingly limited in physical training. Walking was still available for him in the meantime, though he was painfully aware of the way his stamina was slipping, his body growing more tired as it's resources were taxes by the strain of developing another human.

“You're disgusting.” He spat, sneering down at the ragged sight which greeted him along the detention center’s fence line and subsequent garbage dump. A bleary brown eye cracked open as an overly large ear swiveled in his direction.

“General Hux, s’been awhile. Your hat is stupid.” Hux hadn't been aware that his opinion of the alien Captain Skyfall could sink lower, but here shi was, steeped in literal garbage and nude. He thanked his lucky stars that the creature was covered in sufficient fur that he wasn't subjected to a still more indecent view.

“Well, we can't all have ears on top of our head.” His pride goaded him to turn and leave as if he'd never seen the creature, but regrettably, he was painfully aware that his sheer boredom was unlikely to find a more interesting subject.

Shi rolled forward into a splayed sitting stance, brushy tail flicking. Because shi was nude he could observe that what he'd assumed aesthetic choices in hir usual attire were actually assistive in nature. Without the bracing of boots and gloves, hir joints were loose, less suited to bipedal locomotion. He'd rarely been faced with the now apparent lengths that nonhumans were forced to endure, simply to assimilate and interact with the Galaxy's most widespread species. Shi shifted into a rolling gait on all four limbs, and he wondered how much of it was hir natural pace or evident intoxication.

“I like your new guard retinue.” Shi offered as Hux strode to the main base’s mess hall, nodding towards Phasma and Matt's distinctive armor. He'd official business in the main base now, and moreso, had started to find himself more at home. He belonged amongst the bustle of battle planning and strategy, rather than the dwindling remainder of his incarcerated command. He wasn't sure when he'd fully accepted his entrenchment with his former enemies, but at this point it was no longer worth pretending there was any other viable option.

“So what is independent Captain Skyfall doing sniffing around the prisoner encampment’s waste dump?” Hux asked.

Shi paused to scratch behind hir ear with a hind leg, the decorations in hir mane clattering like discordant wind chimes. Shi made a strange grimace of satisfaction from the gesture before turning hir long neck to look towards Hux’ face, though he only regarded hir with his peripheral vision.

“Hauling goods for the Resistance is fairly low risk steady work.” Shi didn't seem the slightest bit ruffled as shi continued. “I had a bit of a bonus and some time between jobs so I indulged last night, perhaps a touch too much. My race evolved as carrion eaters so in my addled state the scent was alluring. Granted, now I gotta shower before I show up in polite company, but that's ever the case. You furless types bathe entirely too often, but I do what I must to comport myself with some level of decorum.”

“I'm surprised that you have awareness of such things.” Hux sniffed, glad shi’d kept hirself downwind.

“I'm well read for a wild spacer.” Shi shrugged, the movement rolling from hir head to hir tail. “You seem to be doing quite well for yourself here. Despite the kid and all I'd half expected someone would have tried to string you up by now.”

He didn't like the alien, but speaking with hir was a refreshing change of pace, the direct bluntness didn't pretend to be any kind of polite society. “Well, I'm not holding my breath for it. I let other people worry about that business, I have more than enough to occupy my thoughts.”

Shi gave him another long peculiar look, and it was oddly reassuring. It wasn't an expression of judgement or spectacle, simply open curiosity. Loathe though he would be to admit it, but shi engendered a similar response from him. It would be easy to write the creature off as crass and uncivilized, but he could sense that there was something more at play in the stranger. Shi probably wasn't a spy sent to unearth hidden secrets from him, had no clear motive or opportunity to gain anything from hir interest in him and he wasn't certain that he understood what was transpiring.

He knew shi didn't particularly like him as a person, hir opinion on his politics and elitism disdainful at best.

“What’s your game?” He decided to be as direct as shi had been.

“I'm just enjoying the delightful ambiance of accompanying a genocidal madman.” Shi cackled.

“So what, you like being treated like scum?” He teased.

Shi winked, grinning with every wicked tooth on display. “Thank you, General, sir.”

“How utterly foul.” He'd heard that people took pleasure from being degraded, but he'd never met one so utterly shameless about it, aside perhaps from Ren behind closed doors.

“I think that I would let you kick me.” Shi sighed, moving half a step closer to his presence. He considered directing Matt and Phasma to widen the barrier, but wasn't keen to indicate that he was unsettled. He wasn't eager to indulge the stranger's irregularities, but wasn't quite certain that shi wasn't leading him on as a joke.

“What is wrong with you?” He wasn't sure how to feel about the new development with the incredibly unnerving creature’s demeanor.

“I know that you Imperial types are pretty conservative, but most aliens who travel away from their home planets are at least in some part xenophiles.” Shi gave him that look again. “You know that's why your species is the most widespread right?”

That was enough. “Good day, Captain Skyfall, this is where I must depart.”

Shi cackled as shi loped away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, but this is only the first of several times that the OTP will be kinkshaming my fursona.
> 
> Kiyara: Step on me General
> 
> Hux: Disgusting
> 
> Kiyara: kinkshaming is my kink
> 
> Also I thought that more happened in this chapter, but I'm always happy to have tragic moments where Kylo is reminded of Han in himself.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting things up for the big finale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally start to broach the Problematic ™ Politics I'll be exploring in this series. Although I will be drawing a lot of inspiration from real world politics, This Is Star Wars and as such, even though War Is Hell, Regrettable Actions Happen, we have very clearly delineated Good Guys and Bad Guys. As much as we've been given media that makes it a little murkier, there's obviously a huge difference in morality between a faction that works through alliance and an authoritarian regime which seeks conquer the known universe.

Pain lanced through him, innards under attack and no matter how he writhed, his assailants would not cease. His ribs weren't breaking but he was certainly bruising. Hux moaned with dawning consciousness, knowing that it had been decades since he'd even been at risk of a violent assault and wondered where his guards were. It was another moment before he processed that his pain came from within, where his child had become exceptionally active. Phasma was watching him with a cruel glitter in her eyes.

“Never thought that I would see you brought so low, General, much less by an infant.”

Hux growled and buried his face in his pillow, trying to control his breathing while stroking his abdomen in hopes it would soothe his tempestuous child. He felt a fool that he would have expected anything different from the offspring of Kylo Ren. He'd allowed Leia Organa to become closer to him, and the decision did not much endear him to the expectations of what kind of battles of will would come into play once the child was born.

Leia was almost a kindred spirit, in that he respected her leadership and will, but having known Ren, both as a man and from Leia's accounts of the child she'd known as Ben, he started to realize what people really meant when referring to a force of nature. His only mild concession was that his own child wasn't actually quite as savage as Leia had described her experiences with her son's pregnancy.

The day was drawing nearer that his child would be born and Hux felt that he was going mad with restlessness. Someone had referred to it as nesting instinct and he had seen red in such a sudden flare of rage that he could no longer remember who'd made that mistake. He was determined that he would allow the circumstances to interfere as little as possible with his duties. The knowing, sympathetic looks other birth parents had patronized him with were almost enough to understand why Ren was so prone to acts of destructive outbursts.

Despite that he'd never been one to enjoy regular hours, he was struggling to maintain his grip in the face of his near non-existent sleep cycles. Phasma and Matt were usually unobtrusive in informing him when he forgot to complete the entirety of his morning ablutions. Sheer fatigue had begun overpowering decades of muscle memory and discipline, usually overlooking the style of his hair or stubble on his cheeks. Once he had nearly managed to leave his chambers without trousers, not that he'd been able to wear any resembling the crispness of a proper uniform for some time.

He didn't even play at polite aplomb when he spotted Skyfall in conference with Leia. “What are you doing here?” He sneered. His stomach, (or was it his child?), did a flip of disgust when the alien regarded him with an irritatingly smug expression.

“I can't believe how grotesque human gestation is. Doesn't it still take them another year to develop beyond squirming?” Skyfall prompted, equally rudely.

Leia sighed and dropped her head to her hands.

“Human brains are very sophisticated organs. Thus we require extra time developing in the womb to allow for our mastery of language and other higher functions.” Hux retaliated.

“I guess I can't say much, I was born late and my people grow wise at a different rate, but it just seems counter intuitive to focus all resources on 'higher functions’ when at one's most vulnerable.” Shi shrugged. “Then again, Humans lack many of the basic communication features. The young of my world may not speak until they reach about five standard year cycles, but they can already hunt and express themselves just fine in other ways. Humans...” Shi shook hir head. “Then again, you don't even have fur at adulthood. I don't understand how your species has had such reproductive success throughout the Galaxy when your young are basically helpless for so long.”

“It's because we work together.” Leia soothed, setting a hand on Skyfall's shoulder as Hux had prepared to work himself into a rant. “Which was why you said you were here.”

“Oh right. So I'm not really any kind of political expert, and as Leia pointed out so eloquently my people are not overly social in the way of yours, but I was thinking about how the two of you have such a fundamental misunderstanding of false dichotomies, your whole species loves false dichotomies, dividing the Force into the idea of Light and Dark, good and bad, black and white.” Shi scoffed. “Regardless, as leaders you should be able to take advantage of that. Give them a choice that isn't a real choice.”

“What are you proposing?” Leia led.

Skyfall grinned one of her predatory displays. “You're going to hate this idea, but I think that Hux is going to like it.”

~

Kylo considered how regardless of which side he'd chosen in battle, the procedure was the same. The crew of the Millennium Falcon had been routing stray First Order ships, slowly working their way through the ranks to discover larger enclaves and battle stations. Some of the altercations they handled directly, Kylo having come to lead mop up procedures after either his crew mates or the Resistance had secured control. It was vital that it was not common knowledge that he was working with the Resistance, though he wasn't certain that it would be enough. He felt that Snoke would recognize his ruse no matter how he tried to cover it up. What scared him was that he was certain that Snoke already knew and was just waiting for them.

Techie had been thorough in slicing through the First Order networks, running simulations on captured craft and tech, exchanging data with the Resistance’s own technology pool. Despite Techie’s genius, it was difficult for him to cooperate with others, growing quickly frustrated when he was unable to communicate his methods, and worse prone to anxiety attacks where he more often than not fled to hide on the ship.

The rest drilled and practiced, sparring with each other as well as experimenting with different approaches to enemy encounters. They learned what methods resulted in the greatest and least risk or damage. Rey and Poe were still highly reluctant to work with Kylo, Luke was slowly warming up to him, but would rightly be forever on edge. Finn showed a surprising amount of forgiveness, although Kylo had to wonder what could be attributed to his inherent empathy vs his ingrained training to follow through with a mission. Kylo would never admit it aloud, but he was immensely grateful for Techie's neutral presence.

Not only did it soothe a part of him to have a reminder of Hux nearby, the former slave had been given a much fairer assessment of the man Kylo was at present. That the slight man’s timid demeanor had forced him to school his tempestuous moods went a long way to soothing the overall tense atmosphere aboard the Falcon. His longing for Hux grew more acute every day and he cursed himself for having already failed to be there for the imminent birth of his child. He wasn't forbidden from reuniting with his lover, but it wasn't a risk he was willing to take as long as Snoke lived.

He wasn't willing to accept Luke’s suggestion that Snoke had been more direct in influencing Kylo's actions in the past. That Snoke may have done more than simply order Kylo to perform the terrible atrocities he'd committed. On one hand it was an out, to deny his own culpability in the mistakes he'd made, a further measure of reconciliation for that which could never be forgiven. Worse, he couldn't risk the possibility that Luke was right, that given the opportunity, Snoke would just as soon directly force Kylo to murder Hux, even his own child.

Worse still were the nightmares he had now where he cut his child out of Hux’ living body to deliver it to his master, surrendering any hope for it to sense the Light. It was usually Techie who comforted him when he woke screaming and unable to spare himself the sensation of slick blood on his hands. His memories were no less generous, every murder replaying in clarity every time he closed his eyes. What scared him more than the idea of losing Hux or their child was what he would become without them.

Despite the companionship of his obligatory allies, Ren knew that he had nothing else left of himself. As much as the stormtrooper program had been designed to eliminate the sense of self, Kylo stood apart in knowing that he had no self. He was a tool, a weapon to be used. Snoke had built him for no other purpose. Despite the sentiments of his mother, Kylo knew that there was nothing of him to love, but Hux could uniquely appreciate a weapon.

Kylo didn't have to pretend to be anything but what Hux required him to be, eager to be of use. Snoke had treated him poorly, ultimately as if he was disposable. He had been so eager, so desperate to prove his use, and Snoke had not allowed him concession or consideration. Hux would never be sentimental, would never make promises he wouldn't keep, but he understood that weapons required care and maintenance. It nearly brought a sob to his throat to think of how Hux would handle him with the same removed respect as a favored blaster rifle. Disassembled, repaired and restored to flawless working order. That such cold regard could be a soothing admiration, stoked fire in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favorite Kylux thing is when neither of them are willing to consider their relationship through affectionate romantic terms.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stuff starts happening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm super tired and not doing my due diligence so I wouldn't be surprised if there were errors in this.

If there was any question of what Ren's raw power was capable of, it was settled the morning he nearly tore the ship apart in an implacable rage. Every other member of the crew had to fight his incoherent fury simply to restrain him until Techie was able to patch through a direct link to Hux, who was naturally undergoing the struggle of labor. A single cold reprimand from that man was all it took for the Knight of Ren to relent. The next day was spent in constant tension as he refused to sever the link, desperate to be connected to Hux for every moment that he could not be there in person.

Hux was not kind nor considerate as he cursed every viable target, mostly Kylo, who seemed pleased by every cutting remark, but the entirety of the Galaxy was given its due for the General's ire. He refused to let the staff offer him any sort of pain relief, abusing them for the very notion that he would not be strong enough to achieve what humanity had been proficient with for as long as they existed. He actually managed to knock out one orderly and damage a Droid when the very concept of restraining and sedating him against his will was broached.

Leia seemed to be in the best spirits about the whole mess, had been maintaining the feed between her son and the other parent of her grandchild. Her presence also seemed to ease Luke’s nerves as he tried to restore order to the stressed out inhabitants of the Falcon. Only Techie was bold enough to approach Kylo after his outburst, quietly bringing him refreshments and an occasional fleeting touch.

Kylo realized that he had never truly known fear until he'd woken with the certainty that Hux was in heretofore unimaginable agony. His first impression was that his general was under attack, dying even. That the others had tried to stop him from dropping everything and immediately going to Hux’ side drove him berserk. He'd known that they didn't, couldn't, understand what Hux meant to him, but for several horrible moments as he struggled against the three other Force users he feared that they were the ones responsible for Hux’ agony. 

It didn't help much to know that it was in fact his own doing, but mostly his heart was in his throat and his mouth was dry as he tried to provide what comfort he could. His mother was not as unpleasant a witness as he would have feared, or perhaps she simply understood well enough to be unobtrusive. While the rest of their company waited anxiously, Kylo could hardly comprehend the passage of time that preceded the moment a thin reedy cry cracked like lightning through his reality.

He was crying too, loud, heavy sobs he had never known himself capable of. Hux was exhausted but exhilarated, his composure tempered with the glow of pride. His tears blended with sweat, but he couldn't repress a smile when Leia lifted his daughter to his arms. Dark auburn curls clung to her tiny head. 

Kylo could feel himself imploding with desperate need and longing, frustration eating him alive that he wasn't there. He felt sick, realizing that he'd broken the first promises he'd made when he'd discovered that he was to be a father. The extra twist of the emotional knife was acknowledging that his own father must have felt just as helpless to be with him.

“Rowan.” Hux stated softly as he stared into unfocused grey eyes, stroking his daughter's damp hair, trailing his fingers down her tiny face in awe that she was real. His breath shivered as he tried to keep himself reserved. Neither of the fresh parents would relinquish the connection of the Holo. Hux was the first to succumb to his own exhaustion and Leia quietly treasured the long moment spared in silence as she held her granddaughter for her son to admire.

~

“I don't agree with this proposal, it goes against everything we stand for.”

Hux ignored the fuss of the alliance leaders. He knew that the conclusion was a solid one, really the only outcome of such a conflict as the Galaxy had become. It was hateful how instrumental he had been to the resultant chaos, the direct contradiction of everything that he had fought and given his life for. Perhaps that was why he felt no sympathy for the weak moral concerns the objectors wrung their hands over. 

It had been why the New Republic had fallen, that their councils allowed themselves to be brought to a standstill rather than taking action. He might've said as much except that he felt his breath far better used towards cooing at his child. Whether they agreed or not was irrelevant, there was only the question of transparency.

Leia had not liked Skyfall's suggestion weeks earlier, and Hux admired the elegance of such a simplistic solution to what remained the Galaxy's most contentious conflicts. Regardless of their personal convictions, the Generals had worked together to analyze the logistics of such a system.

“I can't believe that anyone can in good conscience suggest this travesty! We've beaten these Neo-Imperial bootlickers already, this preposterous notion would be the same as if we'd surrendered to their tyranny.”

Leia was quiet. By necessity she had been the one to introduce the measure, having come to an agreeable outline with Hux. She liked it no less than the others who opposed the very suggestion, but she had been unable to find an effective alternative. It would take time for it to become self-evident, but for now Leia was rapidly losing even her most ardent allies. There was a strong accusation that Leia had abandoned her values for Nepotism, proposing a solution that from some perspectives would allow two of the most nefarious war criminals of their era not only an escape from retribution, but grant them the very power they sought.

Ostensibly the Galactic Republic and the Galactic Empire would never be at peace, fighting over each inch of the Galaxy's allegiances. The reality was considered far worse, that the suggested course of action was for the two organizations to clandestinely collaborate in whatever manner best benefitted those systems which submitted to them.

The Galactic Republic would remain an ideal of Democracy, providing cooperative aid, be known as the most idealistic vision of freedom, if naive and ineffectual. Hux’ New Empire would become the perfect bogeyman. The intent was not to fool anti-republican planetary bodies into joining the Republican cause, nor to surrender them to the unnecessary force of the Empire's fascist boots. It would be a choice in their own governance, that had been the only underlining solution to maintaining the ruse, but those who expressed dangerous splinter factions could be channeled instead towards beneficial efforts.

Ostensibly, people were free to join or reject an alliance with the Republic. Unofficially, the New Empire would loom at the edges of the Republic’s allied space, its own claim laid over those planets which could not organize to choose alliance by apparent force. Despite hating the opposing approaches to achievement, both could agree that improved infrastructure would benefit all. Each faction would maintain their own chains of command and pressure in different directions.

The New Empire would operate in secret, on a black budget, answerable only to a few of the Resistance's highest authorities. The Resistance itself was considered a barely legitimate department under the Republic Military’s rule. Hux felt that already too many people were privy to the idea of what they were doing. He had urged Leia to keep the deal between them, but she had objected nearly every step of the way to Hux’ rather autocratic decisions. He wasn't angry by her arguments, having come to value her spirited opposition and insight. 

Many of the senior officers he had met assumed that their age was tantamount to experience, but Leia was probably the only example since Rae Sloane he would cite as having the kind of wisdom he respected in a superior. His life had taught him a great deal about the intricacies of recognizing not just the people he needed to please in order to advance, but those worthy of learning from.

It was what made him immediately recognize the outcome of what Skyfall had suggested. Shi had told long stories of warring clans and intrigue, how hir people had been instrumental in the mediation between warlords. Despite their differences, Hux had proven his own leadership and demonstrated a practical understanding of purpose. 

Leia could never forgive or forget Hux’ cruel disdain for the lives of others but she wasn't going to ignore his strength as an asset. While she would never claim to understand the contrary general, she realized that Hux had never truly valued his own life, to a strangely selfless end. It was only as she had come to observe him with the infant that bound them by blood that she could begin to see his good intentions at work.

Luke had always been more forgiving, quicker to see the redeemable in an adversary. She had tried to learn from him, had clung to her hope and it had wounded her. Still, she dared to risk that this man and her son had not fallen so far from decency as she had feared.

~

None of the crew had ever quite developed ease in Kylo's presence and in the months following his daughter's birth he became entirely unbearable. He showed no consideration for the tears which often marked his face and lost his temper with alarming frequency. His lightsaber had long since been confiscated earlier in their journey, but his anger alone had almost become adequate compensation. When the damage of his tantrums moved beyond the equipment to his own body, Luke threatened to confine and restrain him for his own good.

He'd argued bitterly at the time, striking heartlessly at his uncle's vulnerable regrets, but in the aftermath he could recognize the astute observation that Kylo was utterly losing control, jeopardizing the very cause he sought to fulfill. It disgusted him how easily he fell apart, sick to realize that he was suffering precisely as Snoke would hope. The difficulty of the pursuit, the scarcity of information, Snoke had to know what he was doing. Had to be waiting for Kylo to break. He wasn't sure that he could keep speaking to Hux, watching Rowan grow through the Holo screen and stay focused. He couldn't trust himself with something so enticing, he wasn't strong enough to resist. More and more it seemed like Luke was right, that Snoke was waiting to engineer his continued downfall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the proposal everyone is freaking out about is pretty damn shady, but I see it like this, if we were to see The New Republic as the US government, The Resistance has become an equivalent of the Pentagon, then the new faction, this false New Empire, is basically an analog to the CIA. 
> 
> If you know anything about the history and the scandal of that organization, you'll see why what's going into this story gets into some really dodgy political and moral considerations. Hux is still unaffected by such qualms, his worldview has been shaped to value what is efficient and effective rather than questions of Right and Wrong, much less Good and Evil.
> 
> Hux hasn't gotten his happy ending yet, he hasn't even really begun a redemption arc yet, he's still a Bad Person™ and it is only because he is allied to good people that he's not continuing the same crusade of violence he was before. He has only been conditionally granted his present freedoms and is very slightly removed from remaining a prisoner at this point. He's still a human being.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Woo we're finally on-mission!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They keep giving us so many teasers about Hux, feeding our shipping hearts, we were starved and now they entice us before the feast.
> 
> I don't know how I'm going to survive the next two weeks.
> 
> Also, by now I'm pretty sure that I'm nowhere near canon compliant, but I did take a few hints for inspiration.

Kylo was hesitant to claim that he had learned to cope with his anger in any significant fashion. He saw his daughter as often as possible on the Holo screen, but despite their best urging, she hadn’t yet learned to recognize the images as living people. That she was still so distant from him, that she was so precious, yet he could not touch her, that he was watching her grow so fast and missing so many milestones was almost enough for him to despair. He yearned for Hux, but for his daughter, the lack was an agony which challenged his every ability to bear. For all that his entire life was defined by all consuming emotions, this new burden forced out all others. For her he could, he would do anything.

When they finally had a solid lead on the Supremacy, and thus Snoke, Kylo was stunned by the sudden crystallization of his focus. He was aware of the anger he still harbored, could recognize Snoke as the ultimate origin for all his life’s suffering, but all he could direct his attention to was what would bring him soonest to his daughter. 

Poe had made a joke that this was the scariest version of Kylo Ren he had seen yet. Finn remarked that he was acting like Hux. He took pride in these statements, even if Rey made it clear that her perspective of him was unchanged. Luke stuck to drilling the mission objectives and anticipated outcomes. Even if Kylo hadn’t reached a recent enlightenment, he would not have missed the ever present suspicion from his fellows that he would, inevitably, betray them to Snoke. Indeed, it was only now that he felt certain that he would not do so.

Techie prepped his portable access devices as Finn and Poe tried not to regard him or his handiwork with distrust. For all that they had grown to know each other, there was no erasing the impression that the former slave’s first loyalty was to Kylo.

~

For all their differences, the early disputes between them, Leia had become indispensable to Hux’ habitual routine. He was still unable to let his daughter out of his sight for all but the briefest of moments, his anxiety verging on madness that the slightest lapse in his vigilance and he would find it all gone. He had been so very reluctant to adapt to his new life alongside the Resistance, and while he still had no great love for their organization, there was nothing he wouldn't sacrifice for the sake of Rowan's well being.

Phasma was all but utterly useless with the infant, only occasionally playing with the child under the thinly veiled excuse that it was fundamental to the development of motor skills. By and large the infant was more likely to be upset rather than soothed by the tall warrior's attempts. Matt attempted, but clearly found something personally upsetting in relation to caring for Rowan. Hux rather expected it to have something to do with the man's life and longing outside his tenure with the First Order. 

Hux was not about to discredit his entire stormtrooper program, had in fact helped introduce some of the tenets of the system to the Resistance's training to improve their cohesion, efficacy and discipline; however he had learned with alarming swiftness that vital social considerations he had once deliberately denied from not just his troops, but his own life were an irreplaceable requirement to human development. After the capture of the Finalizer, nearly all the records of the Stormtrooper program had been revealed. The Resistance hoped that by making the origin of the troopers accessible that more of them would defect to discover their own people. Some of his captured troops had almost immediately defected as soon as the information had been released.

Hux still believed that there were great benefits to some forms of asceticism but he accepted now that many of what he had once taken as superfluous profligacies, vices and vulnerabilities could instead engender much more powerful strengths in a being. Especially given what he had learned that set humans apart from other species, he realized that they were better off building their own identities and relationships. Loathe though he would be to admit it, his awkward and often unsolicited crash courses on the intricacies of interspecies social mores, as relayed to him by Skyfall, had personally benefitted not only his understanding of his species but himself.

He didn't see the alien often which he was glad for, as shi never ceased to find entertainment in agitating him, a trait he suspected that Phasma shared, but given hir instrumental role in his current position, he also couldn't very well deny her audiences on principle. At first he'd been utterly reviled by the concept of letting the filthy beast come near his perfect and delicate princess, but given time to acclimate, combined with awareness that the stranger's presence had a lingering calming effect on the fussy child, he relented. Skyfall had shrugged it off as a knack required for the line of work shi favored with attempting to tame wild beasts. He was starting to suspect that there was more to the strange figure than what was evident by hir appearances.

~

The docking codes were accepted, but it did not provide even a modicum of relief as the Millennium Falcon set down inside the massive dreadnought. It was fortunate that the plan necessitated Kylo be led directly to Snoke with his prisoners. Although it might have been possible to locate the being on the labyrinthine starship, using not just the Force or the master and apprentice's bond, even attempting technological information gathering; the strict series of risks required meant that they would need to take every shortcut available. It was unsaid but understood that survival was not prioritized over the completion of the mission.

Though the First Order had implemented system wide alterations to the security of the organization, having been informed of the codes and procedures utilized by its former co-commanders was all Techie had needed to circumvent the direct channels of access. Since they would be unable to secret themselves away in the timeless bulk of the Falcon, even with scanner disrupting devices, Finn, Poe and Techie would instead hide in plain sight outfitted in purloined First Order uniforms.

Kylo felt something between his spine and gut prickle at the sight of Techie standing in the regulation appearance. He buried it with the rest of every matter not fundamental to their mission. He'd had to struggle not to compulsively fondle his lightsaber after so long in its absence. Luke and Rey's were tucked against his back as the two reluctantly donned their bindings.

Splitting the group to their separate objectives was the easiest task of the assignment. The three man infiltration crew would be the primary hope of any means of viable escape, and the last ditch scenario of initiating the Supremacy's self destruct sequence. Techie had assured them that he would be able to speed or extend its timing as necessary, but it was understood that none of them were hoping to test for that possibility. 

Mostly the trio traveled from one console terminal to the next as they sifted through steadily more sensitive information. Their tight formation was a boon in offering a sense of officiality to their movements in a way that would have been more difficult as a furtive single agent. Techie could focus himself entirely on his task while Finn and Poe could stand lookout appearing at ease. 

No one was foolish enough to challenge what appeared to be gathered officers, cloaked in the guise of their own professional directives, First Order personnel erred on the side of negligence in minding their own business.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be ending before TLJ releases, and then I'm dropping four chapters of pure smut in celebration before I start uploading the next installment, or shunning this fandom entirely if TLJ makes our faves do something unforgivable (I don't think that's likely but I'm going mad with speculation)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> THE MOMENT WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a little behind from technical issues, switching everything over to a new phone and my internet was buggy last night.

“Master, I have returned, during my exile I was able to secure Skywalker and the scavenger girl from Jakku.” Kylo did his best to prostrate himself, to cover his buzzing purpose in a haze of supplication. It had been so very long since he had craved this experience, since this had been his sole motivation for every action. His memories of that life now like a stranger's in his past.

“Kylo, you simple fool, do not think that I have forgotten your orders. While I appreciate your finally achieving this objective, it is not enough to make amends for what you have done in your weakness to physical attachments.” Snoke was flanked by four surviving Knights of Ren and the praetorian guard. 

Kylo wasn't certain that even with the help of his allies that they would manage to escape this altercation with their lives. It wasn't important. 

“You have done well to deliver these two, but until you have returned with the head of Armitage Hux and surrender your child to me, I cannot trust you to do as you must.”

“Yes, Master, I understand that I have been weak. My discipline has always been lacking and I gave into impulse. These long months have done much to adjust my perspective, distance from Hux, and even from you has allowed me to better collect myself, now that I have cut myself off from such distractions. It was only that these Rebels were closer that I am here before you with them now, and not obeying your last command.”

It was a fine line to tread, his words boiling with enough of the genuine truth to hope that it masked his true intentions. He didn't expect that Snoke would take him at his word. “Very well. Your next order is to execute Skywalker. I shall handle the girl from now on, and do not be surprised if she supplants your own position in the wake of your disgrace. It is a human failing that I can only fault myself for dismissing. I will not be so lax in your discipline again.”

Kylo nodded, feeling the precipice of the moment approaching. “If I may inquire, Master, would it not be more effective to eliminate Skywalker by the girl's own hand?”

“It would, but we do not have the luxury of such ideals, you saw to that when you hastened the collapse of the First Order by breaking the ranks.” Snoke was clearly bored of Kylo's presence, had evidently found the exchange tedious. “No more excuses, you will follow my command or I will be forced to dispose of you along with Skywalker.”

Kylo nodded and stood, igniting his saber, enjoying the thrill that ran through him to channel its power again. He swung it artfully through the air as he turned to Luke, locking eyes with the carefully stoic Jedi as sparks flew through the air. If he were to follow Snoke's order, he would have little opportunity to act before the two light users shed their bindings and called their own sabers to hand. As it was he'd been unable to move any closer to Snoke past the Knights on guard. Kylo took a breath and stilled himself for what would come next, knowing that this would be the last moment of calm before the storm.

Rey screamed when Kylo's lightsaber passed through the silhouette of his uncle, a twisted mirror of Han Solo’s murder. She only recognized as Kylo hit the dais below Snoke's throne that Luke held his own saber alight. Kylo's feint had been a nearly too effective ruse. Luke’s robes smoked where they had been burned, but the step Kylo had taken with his strike had allowed a perfect opportunity for the Jedi to reach for the hidden weapons. Rey nearly apologized but instead had to catch and bring to bear her own lightsaber, joining Luke in battle against the Knights of Ren who were double their number, as well as the fury of the guards.

Kylo coughed, groaning as he collected himself off the floor, certain that he had cracked at least one rib in the fall. Unlike the battle with Rey more than a year before, almost two now, he didn't require the pain to focus, did not need to aggravate his wound to summon his might. He licked his lips, feeling the pressure of Snoke trying to exert his will over his own. Kylo tasted blood, but wasn't certain of its source. His saber in hand, he steeled himself, collecting his energy and body to a singular directive. He rolled a movement from shoulder to wrist as he prepared his stance. Snoke was furious but not yet alarmed. Kylo found that for once he cared not at all for his former master's state of mind. 

Charging forward with both hands, feeling his presence in the Force cutting through Snoke's aura, he plunged his weapon into the ancient alien’s chest. For one brief moment of elation he realized that he had finally succeeded in conquering himself through the process of cutting away the tumor that was Snoke blighting his being. The epiphany was so profound, it almost escaped his interest that his lightsaber had exploded. He could feel the searing points of shrapnel in his body, could feel the rush of air as he was launched backwards. Less enlightened was an annoyed impression that he wished that his enemies would stop exploding when he killed them. 

Then, perhaps with a crack, his awareness went black.

~

Hux was furious that no one had notified him when the Snoke Offensive had finally been initialized. The only reason that he was not screaming his displeasure at any of those he considered responsible was for the sake of the placid child weighing down his hip. He still craved cigarettes, but would not smoke them around Rowan and didn't care for them enough to leave her side even for minutes at a time. It didn't make him any less fierce to carry his child with him, if anything he felt all the more dangerous for her presence, determined to dominate any threat. Leia only made the smallest of concessions towards his ferocity, knowing all too well that she'd been no less assertive in her own time.

It was that she was the one who informed him of the report that effectively balanced out his outrage, as she had been kept similarly in the dark and had brought him the news as soon as it has been relayed to her. The first transmission was a little unclear, scrambled by interference and the hubub of activity in the background. That Snoke was dead was a fact that set the entirety of the command bubbling with excitement, but the information hadn't yet been fully declassified before the next steps were already in motion.

Casualties of some kind had been mentioned but it was hours before the Millennium Falcon dropped back into sublight space to provide updated information and then jumping again into hyperspace. Kylo was incapacitated but in stable condition. They'd managed to start the self destruct sequence and escape with everyone with only a few comparatively minor injuries.

Hux could only grow more worried, because stable was not the same as improving, and it meant that there was more to be done before he could be given a positive prognosis. He hated being forced to reveal his concern. Somehow he had never really stopped to consider that Ren wouldn't somehow scrape through the ordeal. He hadn't realized how much he had staked on the other being part of his future until he was faced with the possibility of being without him. It was eviscerating, he felt like the walking wounded as he waited for the next notification. He considered the old maxim about misery loving company and decided that it wasn't so bad with Leia struggling alongside him.

Hux had always warred with his anxiety but was very nearly distraught with how intense it had become, somehow worsening with every moment he was dreading the inevitable reunion. The most recent information had necessitated readying a surgical suite and physicians were standing by to immediately begin operating. Hux felt sick, not sure if he was going to laugh or cry when he learned that the shrapnel endangering Kylo had come from the fitting explosion of his own lightsaber. As much as Hux had disdained the work of Force users, the knowledge that Kylo Ren's lightsaber had been the result of unstable components had always been an indication of something far more reckless in the state of the Knight.

Now that he was clear to consider where he stood, he feared that it would always be this way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time we not only finally get our reunion, I'll drop the first chapter of Portage; pure smut to bridge this fic with the final installment of the series.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally reunited!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm dying fam, I'm sorry fucking anxious and worried that the notp might happen.
> 
> At least I enjoyed the last week of Hux content.

“So, what's punching order gonna be?” Kiyara quipped as the small medical room drew a crowd, Kylo's tenure in a bacta tank nearing its end. He'd shown indications of consciousness and at a few points nearly attempted to escape his confinement requiring regular doses of sedatives. “I think Leia gets first dibs, then Hux, Chewie...”

The wookie howled and the hyena woman cackled. “Well if you say so, I'm sure that no one minds moving up in the line.”

“I would suggest that the first experience the patient encounters after emerging from his healing not be an immediate return to the bacta.” Chided the Droid attendant.

“Spoilsport.” Skyfall smirked, crossing hir arms. The module started to chime in different rates, the fluid draining as Kylo's breath deepened. As soon as the bacta level hit his shoulders he removed the face mask and wiped the healing gel from his eyes. Immediately he sought Hux’ face from the crowd, his height making him one of few figures clear through the transparisteel. Everyone spared a moment of unease while Kylo visibly considered breaking his way from the tank, but managed to restrain himself until it opened.

Hux couldn't even pretend to protest before Kylo was on his mouth, smearing bacta across both their faces, arms pulling him tight. He drank in the experience like he was dying of thirst, stopping only so that he could catch his breath. He pressed their foreheads together and only relinquished Hux’ gaze to finally set eyes on his daughter, running trembling fingers over her soft hair.

“Rowan, this is your daddy, what do you think?” Hux coaxed, hoping that despite the infant’s very limited use of words that she would respond to the presence of a new adult in her life with some recognition. The baby put her hand in her mouth before hiding her face against her birth parent’s neck.

Her tiny pouty mouth worked thoughtfully before she attempted to whisper. “Him big.”

The tension was broken as nervous laughter escaped, none more relieved in their mirth than Hux and Kylo themselves.

“‘Him big,’ indeed. Will you let him hold you? I know that he won't let you down.” Hux coaxed, shifting his hold as he spoke to clearly indicate the intent as the two men stepped apart only a pace, giving the child plenty of opportunity to consider and refuse if she wished. With a glance towards Chewbacca, she moved her hands from her mouth, outstretching them towards Kylo expectantly. 

The large Knight knew that he was crying, couldn't believe how much more he could love her as he studied every detail, from the way the light hit the color of her hair to the incongruously serious expression on the chubby face. His heart did a flip as he realized that he could see himself in her, with pieces of his own parents, and of course the influence of Hux, giving her an air of regal composure.

With Rowan held securely against his chest, her hands clinging to the stickiness of his bacta saturated hair, Kylo returned to kissing Hux, tempering his urgency with tenderness.

“You need a shower. You're covered in bacta.” Hux groused.

“So are you.” They shared a long stare of naked lechery, before reluctantly Kylo graced him with one last squeeze and a kiss to his temple before turning to regard the assortment of people standing adjacent to them. He was more than a little overwhelmed by the attention and turned to Leia, unable to meet her face. “Mom.”

“Ben.” She smiled, but the expression was guarded. “Rowan has been a delight.”

“I still can't believe that she's real.” He muttered, closing his eyes to rest his cheek against the good tempered baby.

“I'm just so happy that you've finally come home.” The feeling of his mother's arms around his waist jerked a sob out of him. He nearly gave into an urge to fall down at her feet and beg that she never let go. He coughed on his tears as he mourned how small and fragile the two most important women in his life felt in his arms. He could only share with Leia the intimacy of knowing that they were thinking of the boy he once was, who he could have been and the first murder which set him astray.

Drying his eyes and passing his daughter to his mother, he returned his attention to the crowd. He cocked his head at the guard in black stormtrooper armor, narrowing his eyes at the unmistakable accents inspired by his own demesne. When the other man jerkily removed his helmet, Kylo barked out a laugh. “Matt! I should have known that it was you.” He grew more serious, adding in a low tone. “I hope that you were of respectable service.”

The blonde nodded hurriedly, mouth pressed in a nervous line.

“Stop giving him shit, Phasma says that you're friends and she trained him herself so obviously he was capable.” Hux chuckled. “I like seeing you jealous though.” He added almost as an afterthought.

Kylo swallowed, again, looking around at his surroundings, thoughts cohesing as he got his bearings, head clearing as the sedatives faded. “Poe!” He barked, noticing that the pilot had looked to be part of a group that was edging towards the door. “Do you have it?”

Several expressions flitted across his face before he patted his uniform, grinning as he withdrew and tossed a box to Kylo. With that in hand, he returned his focus to Hux, cupping his face with one palm as he studied his features, mouth moving as he considered his words. “I don't want to leave you again. I don't think that I could bear to be apart. I know that you don't really put much stock in sentimental sorts of things but...” Kylo dropped to a knee before Hux could stop him.

Hux closed his eyes, clenched his jaw and counted to ten before taking a breath. There were many things he wanted to say, from the observational, that Kylo was in only a pair of briefs and they were in front of nearly every person who knew them, to the ire that Kylo so stupidly presumed that Hux would want such a visible gesture. He could feel the heat of his face spreading down his body.

“Stand up.” Hux snapped. “You idiot.” He followed, when Kylo's face was level with his, wide eyes beseeching. 

Hux wanted to say more, to prepare a diatribe that would leave Kylo wounded and despondent, to castigate him for such presumption. He bit his lip, hating the fire in his belly, choking his lungs. Roughly, he pulled Kylo's hair with both hands as he ravaged his mouth, not pausing until he could feel the broader man trembling. “This is hardly the time for such flagrant gestures.” He chided finally.

Kylo was gaping, stunned for several moments before responding by pulling Hux close and returning the gesture.

“Really, Ren, you don't even have pants on.” Hux scolded, when they parted again for air, refusing to let the moment escape him.

“Hux,” Kylo sighed. “If you keep talking, I'm going to have to keep shutting you up and then we haven't a lot of time before we make things really awkward for the crowd.”

Hux took a cursory inventory of the scene, most of the crowd had started to disperse by now and he considered the merits of challenging the assertion. Leia looked at him with a simple question on her face and Hux nodded to dismiss her, trusting the other with his child, but also sending Phasma with her. 

“Now that Ren has returned, I won't be needing your services full time anymore.” He explained to his guards. 

Chewbacca gnarred something in Shyriiwook that made Kylo blush practically to his nipples and shift his body self consciously. Rey had left early, followed shortly thereafter by Finn and then Poe, who waited along just to be sure that Hux had not outright rejected Kylo's betrothal. Luke simply waved before excusing himself.

“Skyfall, why the hell are you loitering?” Hux snarled at the last bystander.

Kylo stared as if he'd never seen the being. “You're the Force user, the one from the Freighter.”

Hux whipped his head between the two. “What?”

“What are you?” Kylo growled at hir, his own stance like that of the smaller creature during an altercation.

Kiyara grinned broadly, eyes flicking from blankness to glittering conspiracy. “My people call me goddess touched. Other people prefer the words stupid, crazy, lucky or cursed. Or, Force sensitive in this neck of the known universe.”

“How did I not know that you were Force sensitive?” Hux demanded.

“You never asked.” Shi patted his arm and he recoiled from the touch of hir paw.

“How do you do it? You're like a blank spot in the Force.” Kylo demanded.

Shi cocked her head and looked directly at his chest. “I imagine that we both have our own techniques to share.”

Kylo scowled at the roll of one slit pupil that looked up at him appraisingly.

“Enough of this. Skyfall, I expect a full explanation later, Ren needs to make himself presentable for a debriefing.” Hux shoved between them, herding Kylo towards the room’s refresher.

“Don't forget your stupid hat.” Shi grinned, kicking at where it sat on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fudged the passage of time in this fic a lot. Rowan is almost a year old and began speaking early at 6 months. I spent hours researching the possibility, just so that I could have her utter that line.
> 
> Final chapter Saturday, but in the meantime, here's the OTP fucking in the refresher. https://archiveofourown.org/works/12940218/chapters/29574393


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well this is it for this segment. Resolution will probably begin the week after TLJ

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for coming this far with me, this fandom has been quite the journey, and even if I continue to have problems with writers block, I have a solid twenty chapters to fill the gap.

It was only after they regrouped with Leia, Rowan and their guards that Hux realized how much had changed, how quickly everything needed to adapt, now that Snoke was gone, now that Ren was at his side again. He had considered marriage in the past, from a purely mercenary standpoint, of course. Arranged marriages to ally feuding factions were typically not nearly as satisfactory long term solutions as people seemed to think it was, at least not while the wedded parties were allowed any semblance of autonomy. As propaganda it was a great short term boon for morale and publicity, but depending upon the match, could wind up dragging things down when things hit rough patches.

There was a question of hypervisibility and covert identities at play. It was in their favor that Kylo Ren was mostly a horror story figure, known for his imposing costume; that Hux was to the casual viewer a largely unremarkable human male, his red hair the only notable feature, even that not unique to him. Leia expressed that she was considering retirement, Poe was her preferred replacement in military standings, but more bewildering was her suggestion that Ben Organa-Solo return from the dead and join the Galactic Senate. Hux appreciated the audacity mixed with practicality of the suggestion, no matter how poorly suited to public office, not to mention the eye of the media, his fiance was, but he also understood that spectacle was half of what moved the Republic's glacial progress. 

Hux could clearly see the benefit, he and Kylo as the face of terror directing the New Empire with an iron fist, while playing the part of the the Republic's darling power couple as the newlywed Organa-Solos. He'd been joking to consider Matt as a decoy for Ren, but the idea had still greater merit now. Despite the inevitable rumors and whisperings of their origins, being able to make simultaneous appearances would go a long way towards sowing dispute that would muddy the truth.

Hux was startled by the ready convenience of another redhead in attendance with his small gathering of confidants. It was disconcerting to consider that they had already recruited a body double for him before they had even reached this stage of discussion. It reeked of the kind of meddling he'd learn to recognize as Skyfall’s capricious larks. 

As shi was proud of reminding him, hir unpronounceable middle name allegedly meant “plausible deniability”. Knowing now that shi was Force sensitive, had been the entire time shi'd been investigating him, made things connect in a rather orderly fashion. He could respect the way shi worked, if he wasn't so angry with the careless way shi had played him into Organa’s schemes. Of course the beast was lingering now, and Hux resented that he had allowed hir a place amongst his trusted, the way shi had ingratiated hirself with his child. He hated it because he should have known better and should have been controlling more of the pieces of the game that they played.

Tearing his glare from the alien, he scowled at the other red haired man, disgusted by the way he flinched and curled inward on himself the moment Hux fixed his gaze upon him. “Who are you?” He demanded.

“His name's Techie, he was a slave on Tatooine and he was instrumental in our victory.” Kylo informed him, thrumming with pride. This gave Hux pause, he flicked his glance to Skyfall who observed the proceedings with only casual attention, and looked back at the genuine satisfaction on Kylo's face, like a hunting dog presenting retrieved prey to its master. The imagery soothed his ire somewhat.

Techie couldn't hold his gaze and in many cases Hux would have taken the furtive flashes of blue as disrespect. It was surreal now that he had a closer look at the other man. It wasn't quite as uncanny as looking in the mirror, it was less jarring than the artificially constructed resemblance between Matt and Kylo. Forcing his trembling lips into a quivering line which could not be mistaken for a smile, Techie finally spoke, his words less precise, airier in tone than Hux’ sharp diction schooled by strict disciplinarians.

“You probably can't remember me. You were hardly more than a baby when he took you.” Techie still refused to look directly into his face, and Hux could feel his blood pressure rising, the fine hairs on the back of his neck rising as his skin prickled like the exposure of static before a lightning strike. “I'm, we're, I... We have the same mother.” He managed at last.

Kylo and the rest tried to feign disinterest in the drama of the reunion unfolding in their presence, tension rising as Hux blinked to steel himself with his usual iron will. He fetched his daughter into his arms and hid his face by ostensibly coddling the child. It had become a very familiar sight and reaction when Hux was faced with something upsetting.

“The wedding and coronation must be broadcast simultaneously.” He spoke finally as he lifted his head. Rowan assured, Hux handed the child back to her grandmother, then cocked his head towards his quarters. “Ren.” The Knight followed like a dog on a lead. “Matt, find some decent clothes for Kylo.” He paused, eyes narrowing as he regarded the assembly. “Make my brother feel at home.” He added before striding off with Kylo in tow.

Techie wrapped his arms around himself as if chilled, before standing and shouting after Hux. “Mom and I thought about you a lot, we were proud of you, followed your journey through the ranks. We called you Tidge and wondered if we would ever see you again. Your name is Armitage because Mom suggested Armistice and Brendol hated it.”

Hux stumbled, glancing back over his shoulder in naked shock, before shaking his head, grabbing Kylo's arm and redoubling his pace.

“I love you.” Techie managed to finish before he reimploded.

“I had siblings once.” Matt confided to the former slave. Phasma turned her head towards them but said nothing. Matt was glad for his helmet. “Ma'am, since the General has decided to reassign us, yourself to Rowan, perhaps I should be responsible for his brother.”

Phasma tilted her head towards Leia in deference. Techie blushed at the knowing glance in his soon to be mother in law's eyes, but Matt was too wrapped up in his own anxiety to notice. Techie wondered how the vision in the helmet was, his fingers twitched, feeling an urge to study the circuitry. He wasn't sure what he was going to do now that their journey had reached it's end. For the meantime, he would plaster himself to Matt's side.

A datapad chirped, Kiyara flicked hir wrist to read the message. “Well, it's been fun, but I just got a hot tip on a nexu cub and I am not letting that pass me up.” Shi clambered to hir feet and loped off to hir own ship.

Techie had heard that the the man in the black armor was a near duplicate of Kylo. His inadvertent savior had never been anything but fixated on Hux, but Techie had allowed himself the luxury to admire the larger man. That Matt was a trusted member of the group spoke well for his reputation, but Techie was mostly interested in seeing how what lay beneath the armor compared to the Knight. Kylo wasn't modest and had behaved with casual thoughtlessness on the Falcon, much to the delight of Techie’s acute eyes. Their build and stature seemed equivalent, though he thought that perhaps Matt was thicker around the waist.

It would be easy to transplant his crush from one protector to another, the resemblance was just a bonus. It had been very long since he'd the luxury of indulging in voluntary trysts with another, and the months of collected fantasies he had built aboard the Falcon made the longing for companionship worse. He'd felt the ghost of a chance for something with Poe, but he didn't want to get involved with the unspoken tension between the others and Kylo.

Matt apparently had his own small room to himself, as soon as he entered the space he removed his helmet and shook out his sweaty, dirty blonde curls. Techie swallowed, trying not to be obvious in his hungry gaze and savoring the scent of the other man. Techie bit his lip and looked down, feeling his cheeks heat as he realized that he'd already fixed the other with so many assumptions. Matt's company consisted mainly of equally brawny warriors, had given no indication of interest in anything but his duty.

He didn't say much as he dug through his chest of drawers, Techie caught a glimpse of painfully boring standard issue briefs before Matt shook his head and instead withdrew a few shirts and loose exercise pants and shorts. Techie wondered what Matt would look like with the last riding up his ass while running. Did Matt like running? Perhaps Techie would develop an interest in running simply to follow the view of Matt’s backside, wondered about the shape of it beneath the armor. 

Matt had a deeper tan than Kylo, but perhaps it was only a condition of his living planetside. Hux was certainly more freckled and golden than when he'd appeared in First Order propaganda. Despite having been living in the desert of Tatooine for years, Techie had shunned the sun, afforded the small mercy of being removed from the elements in order to maintain the computer systems. Absently he pressed his hands against the softness of his belly, self conscious of his unathletic frame.

He met Matt’s blinding grin and all of his doubts disappeared, sudden desire hammering that he should kiss the other. It was absurd of course, they'd hardly shared any words. Techie could admit that mattered little to him, but wasn't sure how to push his boundaries, didn't know how to initiate the next step of their relationship. He licked suddenly dry lips and realized that he was holding Matt's helmet. He'd seen Kylo's but the Knight had only the most basic of functions, the Force a more effective HUD than any technology in his words.

“I'm good with tech.” He stated dumbly, looking down at his hands and cursing how lame it sounded to his ears, as if it wasn't his title.

“Yeah, that's cool.” Matt replied, and Techie realized that the other seemed just as uncertain. It brought a smile to his face, glad that the guard wasn't staring at his eyes or the tattoo on his forehead. “You're really pretty.” He blurted, immediately flushing to the tips of his ears. “I mean, I'm, your hair, I really like it.”

“Oh?” Techie cocked his head, leaning forward as Matt’s hand began to hover towards him. They both jerked with a nervous laugh when Matt realized that he was still wearing his gloves.

“I don't know what people usually say in these situations.” Matt admitted, face open in tentative hope. “In the barracks, um, Stormtroopers just...” He blushed and looked at his helmet in Techie's hands. “Did that. To uh...” 

Techie pulled the helmet closer to his chest. “Yes?”

Matt kissed him, it was sloppy and wet, but somehow perfect. Techie leaned into it, setting the helmet aside to put his hands on the rest of the armor. “I assume that this comes off then?” He finally spoke, voice almost drunkenly slurred.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously though, thank you all so much.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to be a beta reader or collaborate with me, pm me over Tumblr or Skype or Twitter or basically any platform under the username Kiyarasabel.
> 
> As always, please leave kudos, comments, bookmarks and subscriptions to feed my ego so I can keep writing.


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